Bears put Cowboys in coaching quandary after requesting interview with Mike McCarthy: reports
Dallas CowboysThe decision on head coach Mike McCarthy may be speeding up after what the Chicago Bears did.
Bears have reportedly asked the Cowboys for permission to interview McCarthy for the head coaching vacancy, and ESPN reported that Jerry Jones has yet to respond.
However, the Bears don’t need the Cowboys’ permission because they could interview a longtime NFL head coach after the Jan. 14 exclusive negotiating window expires.
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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
McCarthy’s contract is expiring with the Cowboys, but Jones has made it clear he won’t just let it go Super Bowl winning coach just a waltz into free action. There’s a chance he could return, and players like Dak Prescott have also been vocal about him staying put.
However, the speed at which Jones and the Cowboys make their decisions could accelerate now with the Bears, and possibly other teams, waiting to interview McCarthy for their head coaching gigs.
McCarthy just finished his fifth season in Dallas, and after going 12-5 in each of the last three seasons, the Cowboys finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020 – his first year as a head coach.
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There were questions about McCarthy’s future with the organization before the start of the 2024 regular season, as players like Prescott and CeeDee Lamb received extensions, but the head coach’s future remained uncertain as he did not put pen to paper.
Things didn’t look good for McCarthy either, as the Cowboys stagnated to start the year and then slumped after Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in early November.
However, it was clear toward the end of the year, as backup quarterback Cooper Rush became more comfortable in the starting role, that the Cowboys weren’t mailing it in, but were just waiting for the season to end.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on November 3, 2024 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Dallas won four of its five games after a four-game skid in early November, and despite a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, Dallas played hard until the end in Week 18, though the Washington Commanders had the game-winning touchdown with three seconds left. until the end to record the tenth defeat of the season.
NFL Network reported that Jones and McCarthy are expected to meet Monday afternoon, though a contract offer was not mentioned. The report adds that McCarthy wants to stay in Dallas if they want him.
“I don’t know if I’m thinking about a change, that’s really what I’m trying to say,” Jones told reporters about his coaching situation.
Meanwhile, the Bears will be looking for the right man to take over a team that has a lot of potential, but has been unable to keep going after starting the year 4-2. A Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers snapped a 10-game losing streak and ended the year on a high note, but Caleb Williams and company need to step up if they want to compete in a crowded NFC North division.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks on the sideline during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Tim Heitman-Imagn Images)
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The Bears have already requested permission to interview several top candidates, including Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn, New York Giants OC Mike Kafka and Steelers OC Arthur Smith, among others.
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