Former Patriots player addresses Bill Belichick possibly joining Cowboys

Former New England Patriots linebacker and current NFL analyst Rob Ninkovich is the latest noteworthy individual to mention that head coach Bill Belichick may want to replace Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. 

"You look at the Cowboys," Ninkovich explained during a Thursday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," as shared by Matt Hladik of The Spun. "I think — I don’t know who said it on (the ESPN "Get Up" program), but I do believe that somebody was saying that McCarthy, if he doesn’t win, that it might be his last year." 

Even before the Cowboys claimed the NFC East division title with a 12-5 record, former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak and Super Bowl LIII Most Valuable Player Julian Edelman linked Belichick with "America's Team." Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggested that Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones could fire McCarthy if Dallas loses to the 9-8 Green Bay Packers this Sunday or fails to reach at least the NFC Championship Game. 

Ninkovich echoed Florio's take and said he could "see" Jones reaching out to Belichick if the Cowboys suffer an upset defeat this weekend. 

"You know, Bill would be licking his chops to go down there to Dallas with a team that’s loaded like that," Ninkovich added. 

As part of an alleged mutual parting of the ways between Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach is free to sign with any team without that club having to send a draft pick to New England in return for his services. Thus, Jones theoretically could call Belichick as soon as Sunday night. 

As of late Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Cowboys as seven-point favorites against the Packers. That same outlet had Dallas at +320 betting odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LVIII.