Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors
The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.
[RELATED: Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job]
In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.
“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”
While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.
It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.
Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.
Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.
The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.
As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.
The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.
49ers Interview Noah Pauley For OC Job
The 49ers “search” for a new offensive coordinator appears to be a formality before the team inevitably promotes Klay Kubiak to the role. However, as the team complies with the NFL’s required process (which includes the Rooney Rule), they’re taking a look at some outside options. The team announced that they interviewed Noah Pauley for the job today.
Pauley made a name for himself during his time at North Dakota State. He served as the team’s pass game coordinator while helping coach eventual third-overall pick Trey Lance and All-American wide receiver (and eventual second-round pick) Christian Watson.
He most recently coached wide receivers and served as pass game coordinator at Iowa State. Jaylin Noel (80 catches, 1,194 yards, eight touchdowns) and Jayden Higgins (87 catches, 1,183 yards, nine touchdowns) both had standout seasons under Pauley’s tutelage. The coach also briefly worked with the Packers through the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan revealed the other day that Kubiak, who most recently served as the team’s offensive passing game specialist (and de facto OC), would earn a promotion to the full-time coordinator role this offseason. However, the NFL quickly stepped in, informing the organization that they had to comply to the open-search process before naming someone in the role. This also meant the 49ers had to include at least two minority candidates in accordance with the NFL’s Rooney Rule.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/13/25
Many teams have started signing players to reserve/futures contracts, allowing the organization to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players through the offseason. Here are the latest reserve/futures contracts:
Arizona Cardinals
- CB Ekow Boye-Doe, LB Elliott Brown, OL McClendon Curtis
Cleveland Browns
- DT Ralph Holley
Denver Broncos
- LB K.J. Cloyd, OLB Andrew Farmer, G Nick Gargiulo, DE Matt Henningsen, DB Tanner McCalister, NT Jordan Miller, CB Quinton Newsome, WR A.T. Perry, OL William Sherman, DB Keidron Smith, CB Reese Taylor, G Calvin Throckmorton, TE Thomas Yassmin
Green Bay Packers
- DL Deslin Alexandre, S Omar Brown, DL James Ester, CB Kamal Hadden, K Alex Hale, G Marquis Hayes, WR Julian Hicks, OL Donovan Jennings, WR Cornelius Johnson, CB Kalen King, DL Jeremiah Martin, TE Messiah Swinson
Los Angeles Chargers
- G Karsen Barnhart, TE McCallan Castles, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, DL Christopher Hinton, LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, WR Jaylen Johnson, LB Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, LB Caleb Murphy, RB Jaret Patterson, S Kendall Williamson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- OT Doug Nester
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/13/25
Just one practice squad move to pass along:
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: OT Marcellus Johnson
Marcellus Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Mizzou, spent much of the preseason with the Giants. He was later scooped up by the Vikings, where he had a short stint on the team’s practice squad. He’s once again landed on Minnesota’s taxi squad, and this could bode well for his chances of sticking around via a reserve/futures contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/25
Today’s minor moves:
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: LB Cameron McGrone
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: LB Keir Thomas
The Colts announced that they’ve re-signed linebacker Cameron McGrone to a one-year extension. The former fifth-round pick has spent the past two-plus years in Indy, including a 2024 campaign where he collected six special teams tackles in nine appearances.
AFC South Notes: Colts, Titans, Johnson
If Ryan Kelly has his way, he’ll continue his career in Indianapolis. However, the impending free agent center understands that there’s no guarantee that he’ll return to the only team he’s ever played for. Following the Colts‘ season finale, the former first-round pick discussed his future in the NFL…and he seemed to hint that his long stint with the organization may have come to an end.
“I just can’t be more thankful to be drafted here nine years ago,” Kelly said (via Mike Chappell of FOX59 in Indianapolis). “Two hours from home [in West Chester, Ohio]. Through the ups and downs. There’s not another place I’d rather be. Indy will always be home. … I love the horseshoe, man. It’s been an honor to represent it the right way.”
Despite 2024 representing his age-31 season, Kelly has continued to produce. He was named an alternate on this year’s Pro Bowl squad despite missing a chunk of games due to a knee injury. He also helped anchor a strong running attack, and considering his track record, he should attract plenty of interest as a free agent. While GM Chris Ballard has recently focused on retaining his own free agents, there’s a chance the organization is priced out of the Kelly sweepstakes. If that ends up being the case, the lineman is proud of his nine years in Indy.
“If I’m part of the team going forward, great,” Kelly said. “If not, it was an honor to wear the horseshoe.”
More notes out of the AFC South…
- Sticking in Indy, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. won’t require surgery for the fracture in his back, per Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star. The Colts WR recently revealed that he dealt with the injury for much of the 2024 season, and the issue was at one point expected to end his year prematurely. Instead, Pittman proceeded to get into 16 games with the Colts, although he finished with his fewest catches and receiving yards since his rookie campaign.
- Nick Folk intends to add another season to his resume, as the kicker told Jim Wyatt of the Titans website that he intends to continue playing in 2025. The impending free agent also noted that he’d be interested in sticking with the Titans, where he’s led the NFL in field goal percentage in each of the past two years. The 17-year veteran hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down in recent years, and he should be a popular name on the free agent market this offseason.
- Nick Westbrook-Ikhine is also interest in re-signing with the Titans, per Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com. The former UDFA has spent his entire career in Tennessee, and 2024 marked his most productive season with the organization. NWI found the end zone nine times this past year while hauling in 32 catches for 497 yards.
- After inking a three-year contract with the Jaguars last offseason, Arik Armstead struggled to find his role, as the veteran finished with only a pair of sacks while starting one of his 17 appearances. After playing a rotational role on the edge in 2024, Armstead told reporters that he’s switching back to the interior in 2025. “I’m gonna switch back inside, which is what I wanted to do this season,” Armstead told reporters (including ESPN’s Michael DiRocco). “And I’m gonna be back playing [as the] elite player that I know I can be.” The veteran previously spent his entire career in San Francisco, and he spent his final two seasons with the 49ers primarily serving as a defensive tackle.
- Diontae Johnson acknowledged that he had an issue with a lack of targets during his 2024 stops with the Panthers and Ravens, but the wideout believes he’s in a good spot with the Texans. In fact, Johnson admitted that he was hoping to join the Texans when the Panthers shopped him at the trade deadline. “I was excited because I wanted to come here before when I was about to get traded,” Johnson said (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston). “Now that I’m here, fresh start and I’m looking forward to playing.”
Deion Sanders Eyeing Raiders’ HC Job; Team Has “Zero Interest”
JANUARY 12: The Raiders reportedly have “zero interest” in Sanders, who is only using the club for leverage, a source tells Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic (subscription required).
JANUARY 11: While Deion Sanders has continually committed to sticking with the Colorado Buffaloes, it sounds like the fast-rising head coach and NFL Hall of Fame cornerback has indeed been sniffing around at some NFL gigs. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Sanders “has his eye” on the Raiders head coaching job.
[RELATED: Deion Sanders Not Talking NFL Future]
One source described Sanders as having “very strong interest” in the opening. In fact, the coach’s “NFL-connected associates” actually reached out to the Raiders to relay the message. Bonsignore cautions that it’s uncertain if the interest has been reciprocated.
Following his success at Jackson State and his 2024 run at Colorado, Sanders has been mentioned as a potential option for HC-needy teams, although the iconic player has yet to garner any official interviews. It was previously reported that Sanders’ name hadn’t been making itself around NFL circles, and vacancies in Chicago, New Orleans, or New York were described as unnatural fits.
However, a logical landing spot could be Las Vegas. Tom Brady is helping to spearhead the team’s search for a new head coach, and Bonsignore notes that the iconic QB-turned-part owner and the Sanders family “have a long relationship.” Brady has mentored Shedeur Sanders over the past few years, and TB12 eventually signed the prospect to an NIL deal. Armed with the sixth-overall pick, the Raiders might fall just outside of the range for the Colorado QB, although the team could be positioned to move up if they identify Sanders as their guy.
Deion Sanders recently said he’d only consider a move to the NFL if he could coach his son (via Bonsignore), and Las Vegas would represent one of the lone spots for that to happen. Of course, it’s a two-way street, and after dealing with a carousel of head coaches in recent years, the Raiders may not be looking to take as much of a risk with their next move.
As our 2025 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker shows, the following candidates have been connected to the Raiders:
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Contacted about job
- Pete Carroll, former head coach (Seahawks): To interview 1/13
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Mentioned as candidate
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/10
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/10
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): To interview 1/16
- Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interview requested
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Rumored candidate
Jets To Interview Darren Mougey, Lance Newmark, Chris Spielman For GM Job
The Jets are already well into their general manager search, and we’ve got a handful of new names to add to their robust list of candidates. According to Peter Schrager of FOX Sports, the Jets are interviewing three previously unreported candidates for the job today: Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey, Commanders assistant GM Lance Newmark, and Lions executive Chris Spielman.
[RELATED: 2025 NFL General Manager Search Tracker]
The Jets are also meeting with Bengals exec Trey Brown and Vikings SVP of Player Personnel Ryan Grigson today. We learned about the organization’s interest in the duo earlier this week.
Mougey quickly climbed the ranks in Denver, working his way up from an intern to assistant general manager. He’s provided the front office with a bit of continuity over the past few years, as he is one of the few executives to work under both former general manager John Elway and current general manager George Paton.
“Darren is an outstanding evaluator who has an excellent reputation around the league as an up-and-coming personnel executive,” Paton said when Mougey earned a promotion to Director of Player Personnel in 2021. “Getting to work with Darren over the last five months, he is a strong communicator and has great leadership qualities. We’re fortunate to have Darren leading our pro and college scouting while also being a sounding board on all roster decisions.”
This isn’t Newmark’s first time meeting with the Jets; he also interviewed for the team when they were seeking a GM in 2019 (a job that ultimately went to Joe Douglas). Newmark spent 26 seasons with the Lions, and while he lost out on the team’s most-recent GM search to Brad Holmes, he still stuck around as the team’s senior director of player personnel. That was until last offseason, when Martin Mayhew lured him to Washington to serve as the Commanders assistant GM.
Speaking of the Lions, Spielman has transformed into a key member of Detroit’s front office in recent years. The former Pro Bowl Lions linebacker and FOX analyst works as a special assistant to the team’s president/CEO; he is believed to carry notable power within the organization, and the team made an effort to keep Spielman for the foreseeable future by extending his contract last offseason.
The Jets’ GM search is now at 15 names, with the group of candidates also including:
- Mike Borgonzi, assistant general manager (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/8
- Trey Brown, senior personnel executive (Bengals): Interview requested
- Thomas Dimitroff, former general manager (Falcons): Interviewed 12/16
- Ray Farmer, senior personnel executive (Rams): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Gaine, assistant general manager (Bills): Interview requested
- Mike Greenberg, assistant general manager (Buccaneers): Interviewed 1/10
- Ryan Grigson, senior vice president of player personnel (Vikings): To interview
- Alec Halaby, assistant general manager (Eagles): Interviewed 1/8
- Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl director: Interviewed 12/19
- Louis Riddick, former director of pro personnel (Eagles): Interviewed 1/2
- Jon Robinson, former general manager (Titans): Interviewed 12/17
- Jon-Eric Sullivan, director of player personnel (Packers): Interview requested
Bears To Interview Ron Rivera For HC Job
The Bears are adding a franchise icon to their list of head coaching candidates. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the Bears will interview Ron Rivera this weekend for their head coaching job.
Rivera has had multiple stints with the organization, most famously between 1984 and 1992 when the linebacker helped anchor Chicago’s defense. He won a Super Bowl with the ’85 Bears, and he proceeded to spend his entire nine-year playing career with the organization.
A few years following his retirement, Rivera got his first coaching gig in Chicago, serving as a defensive quality control coach for two years. He next spent a half-decade in Philly serving as the Eagles linebackers coach before he returned to the Bears as their defensive coordinator. Rivera earned PFWA’s Assistant Coach of the Year honors following his second season at the helm, and he helped guide an NFC Championship-winning defense in 2006.
The relationship between the two sides broke down following Rivera’s third season as DC. Rivera’s contract wasn’t extended due to failed negotiations, and he ended up leaving to become the ILB coach in San Diego. He was quickly promoted to DC with the Chargers, and he parlayed that performance into the Panthers HC job.
Rivera saw some ups and downs during his time in Carolina. His hiring coincided with the addition of first-overall pick Cam Newton, and the duo eventually led the Panthers to four playoff appearances in five years (including a run to the Super Bowl in 2015). Rivera earned a pair of Coach of the Year honors during that run. A late-season collapse saw the Panthers miss the playoffs in 2018, and the team bottomed out with Newton out of the lineup in 2019. Midway through that latter campaign, Rivera was let go by the Panthers.
He quickly landed on his feet in Washington, as he was named head coach ahead of the 2020 season. The Commanders made the playoffs despite a 7-9 record during Rivera’s first season on the sideline, and they flirted with a .500 record for the next couple of years. After the Commanders went 4-13 during the 2023 campaign, Rivera was fired by the team.
The long-time coach was out of football for the 2024 season, although he made it clear that he intended to return to coaching. It didn’t take long for him to reemerge during this year’s hiring cycle, as he’s already met with the Jets about their job.
Rivera now represents the 18th coach to be connected to Chicago’s job. Some of those targets, like Bill Belichick and Mike McCarthy, didn’t gain any traction, but the team has otherwise interviewed or requested interviews with 15 other candidates (excluding Rivera):
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interview requested
- Thomas Brown, interim head coach (Bears): Interview expected
- Matt Campbell, head coach (Iowa State): Interview expected
- Pete Carroll, former head coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/9
- Brian Flores, defensive coordinator (Vikings): Interview requested
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/11
- Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator (Lions): To interview 1/11
- Mike Kafka, offensive coordinator (Giants): Interviewed 1/9
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Interview requested
- Todd Monken, offensive coordinator (Ravens): Interview requested
- Drew Petzing, offensive coordinator (Cardinals): Interviewed 1/8
- David Shaw, senior personnel executive (Broncos): Interview requested
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Mike Vrabel, former head coach (Titans): Interviewed 1/8
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/9
Micah Parsons Hoping For Extension Before Training Camp
Both Micah Parsons and the Cowboys have expressed interest in keeping the dynamic edge rusher in Dallas for the foreseeable future. Of course, that would require a long-term agreement between the two sides, as Parsons is currently set to enter the 2025 season as an impending free agent.
[RELATED: Micah Parsons Aiming For Cowboys Extension Prior To Free Agency]
While Parsons previously expressed optimism that an extension could be completed before the start of this offseason’s free agency, it sounds like the veteran is starting to move the goalposts on his expectations. While speaking to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Parsons said he “would think” or “[would] hope” that the two sides can agree on a new deal before the start of training camp in late July.
Both sides have said all the right things over the past few months. Parsons has stated his desire to have his number retired in Dallas, while Jerry Jones made it clear that the former first-round pick is a pillar of the organization (alongside Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb). While both the Cowboys and Parsons’ camp seem to have the same goal, that doesn’t necessarily mean that negotiations will be easy.
As Archer notes, Lamb’s negotiations with the Cowboys saw a similar start. Both sides were receptive to a long-term pact, and the pressure started to mount when Lamb was entering the final season of his rookie contract (via the fifth-year option), much like Parsons is now. However, those negotiations dragged on and on, with Lamb finally inking his extension in late August.
“You know, everybody puts a lot on when [the contract is] done,” Jones said when asked about completing extensions as early as possible. “Signing Dak when he signed and signing Lamb, it had nothing to do one way or the other with their injuries, the good things that happened or the negative things that happened. … It makes me wonder if you really think people are really that fragile. Fragile in their mentality. Fragile in their personal self. My point is no, it does not. And a lot of us live not having all the things buttoned up. … And so I don’t believe the timing [is an issue]. What I would really hang your hat on is how much we paid him and what he needs to be and what he is. That’s the big thing.”
Archer opines that inking Parsons early would better help the Cowboys navigate the offseason. Further, an extension could help to reduce the player’s cap hit for the 2025 campaign, making it even easier to add talent as the organization looks to return to contention. Plus, the two sides could avoid the lingering story line of a potential holdout; Archer notes that Parsons’ past attendance at offseason programs has been “spotty.”
One thing is certain: Parsons’ second NFL contract will pay him handsomely. The three-time All-Pro recipient has established himself as one of the best pass rushers in the NFL, with Parsons collecting 52.5 sacks through four seasons in the league.