Mike McCarthy's hot seat? Bill Belichick is one of the possible successors

Mike McCarthy could be reaching his expiration date in Dallas. Notably, the Cowboys did not extend the coach's contract until the 2024 season, meaning he is in the final year of a five-year deal. Based on the results so far, McCarthy may not have to wait much longer to make the appearance.

Dallas has taken a big step backwards this season, and the problems on offense are just part of the larger problem brewing. Dan Quinn's departure as defensive coordinator was a bigger deal than was realized at the time, and the highly paid veterans prevented Jerry Jones from signing a capable running back on offense.

Adding to all of these problems is the fact that the Cowboys were coming off a loss at home, outscored 73-28 in the first half in their first three home games. While it seems unlikely that the team will make a coaching change as the season progresses, McCarthy is under increasing pressure.

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After years of playoff disappointment, this year's team in Dallas has no regular season success to look back on. With a Sunday Night Football showdown against the 49ers on deck, it's now or never for the Cowboys to get things right. If the downward trend continues, McCarthy will be out of a job again and the list of who could replace him is likely to be long.

Will the Cowboys fire Mike McCarthy?

After taking over the reins from Jason Garrett, McCarthy is another consistent voice for the iconic star, with 2024 marking his fifth season at the helm. To his credit, Jones has avoided major coaching changes every few years in search of stability. With time running out for his team to win, this patience doesn't seem to last much longer.

Jones has been pretty vocal about his views on the team and coaching staff in recent weeks. He made headlines during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas and used the opportunity to seemingly add fuel to the fire surrounding McCarthy.

“We design bad plays or we design bad concepts,” Jones said. “The facts are that there is some of that, but there is also some execution.”

McCarthy responded to Jones' comments on October 23.

“I talk to Jerry all the time,” McCarthy said. “We have time to explore ourselves, so I haven't read the comments specifically. I don't think we have bad concepts or bad plays. I’ll check again.”

This came after Jones declined to tell the media whether he would consider a coaching change following the Week 6 loss.

Jones' Cowboys are constantly looking for a return to the top of the NFL, but one thing they can't consider is impatience. Only nine people have been named head coach of the Cowboys, McCarthy becoming just the second since 2010.

Cowboys coaching candidates if Mike McCarthy is fired

Here are some of the candidates who could be considered if McCarthy gets out:

Bill Belichick

It's no surprise that Belichick is the top name on this list. This is the type of big fish Dallas would love to land. Belichick is by far the most successful coach on the market and is considered the best in NFL history. It's been well-documented how badly Jones wants to win another Super Bowl, and his close relationship with Belichick makes this the most likely partnership.

However, like any other coach, Belichick's hiring is not without potential problems. The years following Tom Brady's career with the New England Patriots left much to be desired and ultimately led to his departure from New England after the 2023 season. His team played only one playoff game in the four seasons following Brady's departure – a 47-17 Lost to the Buffalo Bills.

Those seasons highlighted the lack of talent on the roster and quickly became the biggest problem for Belichick, who also had control over player personnel. Whether he wants control in Dallas could ultimately be the deciding factor here, but it's hard to ignore the coaching legend. He provides a stabilizing presence for a team that is in win-now mode.

Lincoln Riley

Riley, one of two college coaches on this list, has long been considered an option for the Cowboys. The Texas native has long been linked to the Cowboys job, but it's unclear whether the USC coach wants to make the jump. This is the kind of eye-catching move that grabs headlines. If Dallas moves on from McCarthy, could Jones pivot and try something new instead of another experienced NFL option? That remains to be seen, but Riley's resume speaks for itself.

Former Riley-coached quarterbacks are everywhere in the NFL. From Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray to Jalen Hurts and Caleb Williams, the Trojans' leader is already making an impact on Sundays. While the success rate of college coaches making the jump to the NFL isn't particularly high, speculation will only increase as USC's struggles continue in its first season in the Big Ten.

Ben Johnson

Johnson is by far the biggest coordinator name on the market and the hype is overwhelming. His Lions offense is considered one of the most exciting and unpredictable in sports. The Cowboys got a close-up of Johnson's offense at work in Week 6 and that's one of the many reasons for McCarthy's heated seats. Detroit has 47 points, giving Cowboys fans a glimpse of their future.

While the Cowboys' personnel is lacking compared to the Lions, Johnson was methodical in his approach to the coaching carousel. It's only a matter of time before teams start selecting coaches from Dan Campbell's pedigree. His gritty style will only become more in demand as the Lions win. While Johnson continues to wait for the right opportunity, Dallas could be the right fit for his next adventure.

Mike Vrabel

The Titans' decision to release Vrabel after the 2023 season came as a surprise to many, especially given his winning streak in Music City. While Tennessee failed to reach a Super Bowl, Vrabel's teams were always formidable opponents who punched above their weight. The Titans chose the offensive-minded Brian Callahan to lead their team going forward, leaving Vrabel on the outside looking into 2024.

He remains one of the better coaches in the league and should jump right back into the NFL in the next recruiting cycle. As a Belichick protégé, Vrabel brings some of these philosophies with him. But unlike Belichick, Vrabel probably won't need as much money or a big say in personnel decisions. Combine that with the fact that the Titans were a capable offensive team during the Vrabel years – with offensive coordinators Matt LaFleur and Arthur Smith later getting head coaching jobs – and you have a recipe for success.

Aaron Glenn

Glenn is another Lions assistant who should be in high demand this offseason. His defense is vigorous and like Johnson, he chose to stay in Detroit. The 15-year NFL veteran has 10 seasons of coaching experience and worked his way up the ranks after starting with the Cleveland Browns in 2014 as an assistant defensive backs coach.

Like Campbell and Johnson, Glenn's presence helped completely transform the Lions. The league has placed more emphasis on hiring offensive-minded coaches in recent years, which could complicate matters. However, Glenn's leadership abilities cannot be underestimated and he should be promoted to head coach sooner rather than later.

Bobby Slowik

The Texans burst onto the scene in 2023 with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud and an inexperienced offensive coordinator in Slowik. Both plays worked quite well for the Cowboys' neighbors as the Lone Star State turned heads last season. Now that the Dallas offense is stalling, they might as well find a solution in Houston.

Slowik has experience on both sides of the ball, having served as a defensive assistant with Washington from 2011-13 before serving as defensive quality control coach with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-2018. From that point on, he served in various roles on the 49ers' offensive staff from 2019-22 before being traded to the Texans with DeMeco Ryans. That experience could help him become one of the youngest head coaches in the league.

Deion Sanders

Sanders is the ultimate wildcard option, but one that cannot be ruled out. It remains a mystery what will happen to “Coach Prime” if Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter declare for the NFL Draft after their seasons in Colorado. There is speculation as to whether Sanders would remain in the college ranks or make the jump to NFL circles once his ties to Boulder, Colorado, no longer exist.

Jones has been close to Sanders since “Prime Time” played for the Cowboys. When ESPN's Stephen A. Smith asked him about the possibility, Jones avoided answering the topic. It should be noted that Sanders has stated that he has no interest in taking on the role of NFL head coach. He was a transformative figure in Colorado and if Jones wants to make a big splash, bringing the Cowboys legend back to Dallas would be a great way to make that happen.