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Former Cowboys Coach Mike McCarthy 'In Play' For NFL Job

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Jan 24, 2025 8:24 PM ET

Mike McCarthy missed out on the Chicago Bears' job, but there's still a good chance the former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys will be on the sidelines this fall.

During this Friday's episode of "The Pat McAfee Show," ESPN's Adam Schefter had an update on McCarthy's NFL future. The initial belief was that McCarthy would just re-sign with the Cowboys. After meeting with Jerry Jones, he decided to move on from Dallas and explore other options.

There's only two head coaching vacancies remaining in the NFL, with one of them belonging to the Cowboys. Luckily for McCarthy, he's a legitimate candidate for the New Orleans Saints.

"I think Mike McCarthy makes a lot of sense there," Schefter said. "He’s got deep ties and connections to the organization. We’ll see ultimately if he’s the guy."

Schefter was referring to McCarthy's stint in New Orleans from 2000-2004. He was the team's offensive coordinator at that time.

Even though McCarthy is "in play" for the Saints, there's a ton of competition he'll have to beat out.

"I think today they have Anthony Weaver in. Tomorrow, they have Mike Kafka, the Giants offensive coordinator in. Then, next week, I think you have to see how these playoff games play out this weekend - Kliff Kingsbury, the Commanders’ OC. Kellen Moore, the Eagles’ OC. Joe Brady, the Bills’ OC. All have been linked to them," Schefter added. "I don’t even remember which ones virtually interviewed with the Saints to begin with. They’re all in play, and Mike McCarthy is in play."

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 17: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)

McCarthy has a 174-112-2 record as a head coach in the NFL. During his five-year run with the Cowboys, he won 49 games and made the playoffs three times.

There have been plenty of criticism surrounding McCarthy's lack of playoff success in recent years, but he would bring some stability to the Saints. They could use that after a 5-12 season.

If McCarthy doesn't get the job in New Orleans, he'll most likely have to wait for next year's hiring cycle. That might not be a bad thing though depending on which jobs open up.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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