Jerry Jones

Micah Parsons Confirms Informal Extension Agreement With Jerry Jones; Cowboys DE Participating In Minicamp

June 11th, 2025 at 3:30pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Micah Parsons extension situation remains one to watch regarding the Cowboys and their top defensive player. No deal is officially in place yet, but team and player have held extensive talks this offseason (albeit not recently).

That communication includes discussions which were reported in April by DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr. At that point, it was reported the framework of an agreement was in place between Parsons and owner Jerry Jones with the final details left to be ironed out. While that report has been called into question, Jones has since confirmed that the parties spoke early in the spring and further corroboration has emerged regarding that initial arrangement.

Parsons confirmed to Hill today that while no firm agreement has been reached, he and Jones had a productive face-to-face encounter. The two-time All-Pro gave the longtime Dallas owner a price point for an extension, and Jones responded that it was “doable.” It is unclear what Parsons’ proposal was valued at, but Hill’s original report stated an offer was made which would make the 26-year-old the league’s top earner for edge rushers.

Crucially, communication with Parsons’ representation has proven to be sparse over the course of the offseason. Hill notes Jones has still yet to speak with agent David Mulugheta to finalize the extension which was agreed to (at least in principle) months ago. Jones drew criticism with his remarks in April that he was not concerned about Parsons’ agent and did not know his name.

In the time since early April, COO Stephen Jones has noted a gap remaining between team and player in negotiations (something which is certainly eyebrow-raising given the financial arrangement already agreed to during the summit between Parsons and Jerry Jones). Garrett currently leads the EDGE market at $40MM annually, and T.J. Watt (Steelers) and Trey Hendrickson (Bengals) are among the veterans who could land a deal at least near that mark later this offseason.

Parsons is joined by former Lions No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson as a prominent pass rusher eligible for a second – rather than third – contract. His age (26) could lead to a more lucrative deal than Garrett’s, something which would of course have notable cap implications given last year’s Cowboys commitments to quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. Parsons was absent from voluntary practices this spring, but in an encouraging sign from a contract standpoint he did not join the likes of Watt and Hendrickson by skipping mandatory minicamp.

At times, players angling for an extension have adopted a hold-in stance by attending mandatory practices without taking the field. Parsons is participating in drills, however, as noted by The Athletic’s Jon Machota. It will be interesting to see that decision is followed by a new round of talks with the front office or if the wait will continue for a deal to be finalized.

Jerry Jones, Micah Parsons Have Not Been In Recent Contact

May 22nd, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Adam La Rose

At the beginning of April, a report emerged stating an in-person meeting between Micah Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones resulted in the framework of an extension agreement. Since then, it has become clear plenty of work still needs to be done, though, and the parties have not spoken directly in some time.

“I haven’t talked with him in about four or five weeks and of course that’ll be necessary if he’s going to get a [new] contract,” Jones said of Parsons during this week’s owners meeting (via Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports). “But he’s got a contract. That’s the point — be sure and clear about that.”

Indeed, Parsons remains on track to collect $24.01MM in 2025 on his fifth-year option. That figure is guaranteed and represents his scheduled cap hit as things stand. Lowering his immediate cap charge could be attained with a long-term pact, one which will carry a much larger AAV. The four-time Pro Bowler could very well find himself as the league’s highest-paid defender, which would require surpassing Myles Garrett‘s $40MM-per-year Browns pact. Topping the deal Ja’Marr Chase inked with the Bengals ($41.25MM anually) would make Parsons the league’s highest earner for non-quarterbacks.

In the absence of an extension agreement, Parsons’ participation in voluntary spring workouts was a talking point. The 25-year-old was in attendance for the start of Dallas’ offseason program, which marked the beginning of new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ scheme install. As for the opening days of OTAs, first-time head coach Brian Schottenheimer said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News) Parsons was present on Monday. That was not the case the following day, though, as noted by DLLS’ Clarence Hill Jr.

Schottenheimer has spoken publicly on a number of occasions about the importance of Parsons taking part in spring practice in advance of mandatory minicamp next month and training camp during the summer. Hill notes it is unclear if the two-time All-Pro participated in on-field work Monday or if his attendance simply took the form of meetings.

Parsons aims to have his extension in hand in time for training camp, and if that does not prove to be the case the possibility of a hold-in will loom. Time remains for a deal to be reached, but a gap exists between the asking price from the former Defensive Rookie of the Year’s camp and what Dallas has been prepared to offer so far. Based on Jones’ remarks, the Cowboys – a team regularly criticized for its pace with respect to working out long-term deals – are not on the verge of ensuring Parsons’ post-2025 future.

Cowboys Likely To Target Skill Position In First Round

April 23rd, 2025 at 10:09pm CST by Ely Allen

With the 2025 NFL Draft coming tomorrow night, several teams are zoning in on where their draft focus will be in the first round. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, there are “many sources” who expect the Cowboys to target an offensive skill position (quarterback, running back, wide receiver, or tight end) with the No. 12 overall pick.

Considering the recent extension for quarterback Dak Prescott and the recent trade for backup passer Joe Milton, I believe we can safely dismiss any notions of quarterback being a target. The presence of two tight ends (Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker) still on their rookie deals, one of whom has a Pro Bowl to their name already, likely disqualifies that position, as well.

That leaves running back and wide receiver. Running back was certainly a weakness last year, but Dallas addressed the position in free agency this offseason, signing both Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. While the two aren’t exactly world-beaters, they’ve each shown an ability to carry the load as a starter in the past, giving the Cowboys a passable duo of rushers for 2025. That being said, if Ashton Jeanty were to fall to 12, it would likely be hard for the team to pass him up. Other options like Omarion Hampton, can’t likely be ruled out but would more likely be targeted in the second round or with a trade back in the first.

With that in mind, we can turn our attention, as Russini did, to wide receiver, specifically, Texas wideout Matthew Golden and Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan. NFL Network’s Jane Slater seconded this notion today, saying that, while the team needs an offensive lineman, they really want a wide receiver.

McMillan appears to be the most desired choice, but Slater reports concerns that he’ll go before Dallas gets a chance to take him (like to the Saints at No. 9 overall). That leaves Golden, whose speed (4.29 40-yard dash at the combine) gives the Cowboys what they’re looking for in a pass catcher to pair with CeeDee Lamb.

In his last second mock draft, ESPN’s Matt Miller also landed on McMillan, though he noted the team’s extensive work done on offensive linemen. This is evidenced by the recent update that Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker was one of the most recent players to take a top-30 visit to Dallas, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is another name Slater mentioned for the Cowboys, but there is a presumption that he will get selected before the Cowboys get to pick by the Jets at No. 7 overall.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated did a breakdown yesterday of each team’s biggest draft needs, and after mentioning McMillan and Golden (as well as Michigan cornerback Will Johnson) for the Cowboys, Breer turned his attention to versatile North Dakota State offensive lineman Grey Zabel. Zabel brings plenty of intrigue to the first round. Despite starting games at every position along the offensive line in college except center, Zabel has been projected as the draft class’s best center prospect. Regardless, he is certainly one of the draft’s top interior offensive linemen, and many are connecting him to Dallas.

Breer specifically mentions that Zabel won’t make it out of the teens, which Miller’s mock draft reflects, as well, sending him to the Seahawks at No. 18 overall. Per Miller, Zabel and McMillan are the two names that Seattle has focused in on. The team reportedly believes that the guard position is deeper than receiver in this draft, so McMillan would be the preference, but if either player is still around by the 18th pick, they may be headed to Seattle.

That might end up being possible, too, as Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS seems to believe there is no chance of the Cowboys considering an offensive lineman in the first round, despite all the work they’ve done on the position. It seems like the only way they may land on an offensive lineman in the first round is if they trade back, which is certainly also a possibility. According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones claimed that the team is “actively looking at potential trades they could do before or after the draft.”

Other players that Slater listed as names the Cowboys are kicking around are Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen, Tennessee pass rusher James Pearce, and Virginia Tech running back Bhayshul Tuten. She notes that the team has character red flags for Pearce, so he shouldn’t be a Day 1 consideration for Dallas. She also believes that some of Jones’ trade ideas could lead the Cowboys into the late-second round, where they would target Tuten. We’re less than 24 hours away from getting to find out just how all of these ideas will finally play out in reality.

Cowboys Address Mike McCarthy Firing Delay; Team Extends Will McClay

January 29th, 2025 at 10:17am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cowboys have taken plenty of heat for their decision to delay Mike McCarthy‘s ouster only to circle back and promote his two-year OC. Brian Schottenheimer is now the Cowboys’ HC, rising to a top job despite not interviewing for one anywhere else over the past decade.

Labeling this hire “a risk, not a Hail Mary,” Jerry Jones said the Cowboys’ delay in separating from McCarthy came from knowing the team had Schottenheimer as an option, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer and NFL.com’s Jane Slater note. The Cowboys did not part ways with McCarthy until a week after Black Monday.

Because no other team was connected to Schottenheimer, it also stood to reason the Cowboys could have waited and conducted a more thorough search — rather than meeting with just three external candidates (Robert Saleh, Leslie Frazier, Kellen Moore). Jones indicated (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota) he did not feel he needed to meet with higher-profile candidates like Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn due to Schottenheimer having a better understanding of the Cowboys’ current setup. This stance will certainly be criticized due to the Cowboys coming off a 7-10 record and refusing to extend McCarthy.

Moving quickly did keep Schottenheimer off the coordinator market, but the veteran staffer had not been connected to any OC jobs elsewhere, either. Jones also said Schottenheimer received plenty of support from players. Dak Prescott is among them, indicating (via Cowboys.com) his new head coach “means a lot to me.” Prescott stumped for McCarthy during the season’s second half, but the Cowboys are taking a half-measure of sorts by keeping his coordinator on. Prescott and Schottenheimer’s good relationship is believed to have been a key driver for this unexpected promotion.

Jones had said McCarthy talks never moved into true negotiations, but the sides are believed to have discussed contract length. That was viewed as a hang-up, and McCarthy has since bowed out of the Saints’ HC search. He will not coach in 2025. Meanwhile, a staffer he hired despite being tied to the Urban Meyer Jaguars season will replace him in Dallas.

Schottenheimer, 51, did not call plays during his OC stint but confirmed (via All DLLS’ Clarence Hill) he will next season. The second-generation NFL coach called plays for the Jets, Rams and Seahawks previously. The Jets and Seahawks, respectively, fired Schottenheimer, whose St. Louis departure came when he accepted the Georgia OC job in 2015. But Russell Wilson‘s second half of his Seattle stay may well be what secures him Hall of Fame entry; Schottenheimer was calling the shots for that period, which featured three top-nine Seahawks offenses.

The Cowboys are expected to retain several of McCarthy’s assistants, Archer adds. Assistant QBs coach Ryan Feder and assistant O-line coach Ramon Chinyoung are likely among them, as they attended Schottenheimer’s introductory presser. The team is also aiming to keep tight ends coach Lunda Wells, per Hill, who adds other teams are also interested in hiring him. The Cowboys recently met with Kerry Joseph about the QBs coach position, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes. Joseph served as the Bears’ QBs coach last season, having followed Shane Waldron to Chicago. Prior to Waldron’s Seattle stay, Joseph began his Seahawks stint under Schottenheimer as an offensive assistant in 2020. Previous QBs coach Scott Tolzien is not expected to stay under Schottenheimer.

Meanwhile, no plans to add Jason Witten to this year’s staff are in place, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. Witten had been loosely rumored as a potential HC candidate, despite only having high school coaching experience, and also loomed as someone Jones was interested in bringing in for a non-HC role — as a potential promotion loomed down the line — but it does not sound like the former Cowboys Pro Bowl tight end will be part of Schottenheimer’s first staff.

Lastly, the Cowboys have agreed to terms with one of their cornerstone staffers on an extension. VP of player personnel Will McClay is sticking around on a multiyear deal, Archer reports. This is not especially surprising, as McClay has been choosey with his GM interviews in recent years and is now in his third decade with the Cowboys.

The Commanders, Chargers and Panthers showed interest last year, but McClay withdrew his name from consideration. Rather than pursue a GM role, McClay has said in the past he is happy where he is in Dallas. While Jones heads up Dallas’ personnel department as the team’s de facto GM, McClay has been essential to the team’s blueprint by providing impact draft picks.

McClay has headed up the Cowboys’ scouting department since 2014 but has been with the Cowboys since 2002. McClay has helped identify the likes of Zack Martin, Ezekiel Elliott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons and Tyler Smith as All-Pros from Round 1. Prescott also arrived as a fourth-rounder on McClay’s watch. While Jones’ moves with veteran personnel have drawn considerable scrutiny, McClay’s ability to bring in top-caliber talent via the draft has been vital to the Cowboys’ mission.

Bill Belichick Signs North Carolina Contract

January 23rd, 2025 at 12:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

JANUARY 23: Talk of a Belichick backtrack to the NFL has cooled over the past several days, and Jones reports the new North Carolina HC has signed his contract. The deal points reported last month — a $10MM buyout before June 1, along with a $1MM fee after that date — are included in the official pact. While Belichick-NFL rumors may not be over for good, it appears the eight-time Super Bowl winner is committed to the college gig he landed — at least for the 2025 season.

JANUARY 16: Opting out of a second ride on the NFL HC carousel, Bill Belichick made a preemptive strike by accepting an offer to coach at North Carolina in December. Despite connections to the Raiders and then Cowboys, Belichick is on the recruiting trail at the ACC school.

If an NFL team were to poach Belichick after he committed to the Tar Heels, a $10MM buyout would need to be paid to the university. Though, a gray area now exists with regards to the buyout. Belichick has not signed an official contract with the school, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Instead, he is working in Chapel Hill after agreeing to a term sheet December 11. The school confirmed this, via Jones.

That term sheet outlines Belichick’s $10MM-per-year salary and would be set to precede a signed contract at some point. It is not too uncommon at the college level for coaches to begin working without a fully signed deal, but Jones adds a notable wrinkle here by indicating the term sheet Belichick inked is not binding. This could introduce a potential complication if the buyout — $10MM before June 1, $1MM after that date — comes into play.

Earlier this week, a report surfaced indicating the North Carolina athletic director and the ACC commissioner were uneasy about Belichick’s status. Jones has also previously reported NFL teams have not been intimidated by the $10MM buyout number, and the reporter adds some within the UNC community are a bit nervous related to this component of Belichick’s agreement.

Working without a contract is not done in the NFL, where Belichick had only coached from 1975-2023. The league’s second-winningest coach trying his hand at the college game — at a time in which the transfer portal and NIL landscape have radically reshaped the sport — now remains a curious move, especially when four more coaching jobs opened up after Belichick and his lieutenants surveyed the NFL market during the season. The Cowboys, Jaguars and Raiders jobs have since opened, and Dallas connections persist.

Former Browns GM Michael Lombardi, who worked with Belichick in New England, is now the North Carolina football program’s GM. Lombardi denied any NFL interest exists, refuting the above-referenced report about Belichick’s thin staff creating some unease, and he responded to Jones’ report by indicating (via X) “the NFL isn’t an option” for the legendary HC. A report shortly after Belichick took the college job pegged him as being “disgusted” with a league that has been unwilling to grant him a third head coaching opportunity given the success he had in New England.

That said, Jonathan Jones notes that Belichick and Jerry Jones maintain a good relationship. Belichick was connected to monitoring the Cowboys job in 2024, and the Cowboys did backchannel work on him before deciding to retain Mike McCarthy last year. A report in the wake of McCarthy’s dismissal this week classified a Belichick-Cowboys partnership as one both sides would have been open to had the coach not jumped to the college ranks. Though, as we have mentioned many times, Belichick’s age (73 in April) poses a problem for him — as no HC older than 66 has ever been hired by an NFL team — and he ultimately opted to punt on a second carousel ride.

Bill Belichick also brought son Steve over from Washington to be his DC, a development that would further entrench the former in Chapel Hill, and ESPN.com’s Pete Thamel adds the Tar Heels have hired veteran NFL assistant Mike Priefer to be their special teams coordinator. Priefer had served as ST coordinator for the Chiefs, Broncos, Vikings and Browns from 2006-22. He last coached in college in 2001.

Deion Sanders Still In Play For Cowboys?

January 16th, 2025 at 11:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Deion Sanders has repeatedly said he is not interested in coaching in the NFL, but the Hall of Fame cornerback also admitted speaking with Jerry Jones about the Cowboys’ job brought intrigue. Despite Sanders attempting to reaffirm his commitment to Colorado shortly after the Jones conversation became public, rumblings about an NFL path persist.

Sanders’ Monday comments pointed to the Big 12 leader staying at the college level, but WFAA’s Ed Werder cautions this might not be a done deal yet. If Jones were to offer Sanders the Dallas job, Werder adds the popular HC would almost definitely accept. Some Sanders associates are also believed to be backing a push from the coach to land this job, and Jones is believed to be “enamored” with the idea of what would be an unorthodox hire.

Arguably the best cornerback in NFL history, Sanders played five seasons with Dallas. After swinging the NFL’s power balance to San Francisco upon signing there in 1994, Sanders’ pivot to Dallas restored Jones’ franchise as the NFL’s premier team via a Super Bowl XXX win. Sanders has maintained a good relationship with the owner and certainly understands the team’s culture. Though, Colorado contract talks are also a central component here.

Sanders is two seasons into a five-year Buffaloes deal, and NFL.com’s Jane Slater reports an extension is potentially on the table. Denver7’s Troy Renck also alludes to a Colorado extension being key in Sanders’ offseason. It would cost roughly $10MM for the Cowboys to get Sanders out of his current Buffaloes contract, per Slater, with that number reducing in future years. Skepticism about Jones paying a buyout also emerged earlier this week, pertaining to Bill Belichick‘s $10MM North Carolina buyout.

This would be a way to create leverage, and the 57-year-old coach certainly has a past maximizing such opportunities — as the 1995 free agency sweepstakes remind. Deion will also see son Shedeur leave his program for the NFL this year. No realistic opportunity to coach his son in the pros, a prospect the former Jackson State HC has said would appeal to him, would exist in Dallas, with Dak Prescott signing the NFL’s most lucrative deal back in September.

The Cowboys’ interest in Sanders is “absolutely real,” according to Slater, and while this is one of the country’s highest-profile coaching jobs, it also features steady Jones influence since the owner doubles as the team’s GM. Jones regularly addresses the media, which other GMs do not do, and has played an omnipresent role during McCarthy and past Dallas HCs’ tenures. Sanders would seemingly enjoy a greater level of autonomy in Boulder.

Jones also asked McCarthy to reduce his staff previously, Slater notes, offering another potential complication. As Sanders does not call plays and has only coached in major college football for two seasons, a high-profile assistant crop may be necessary were Jones to sign off on this. Jones is not known for high payments to coaches.

Steve Sarkisian has come up as a potential NFL option, despite his struggles as Falcons OC in the late 2010s, but Slater adds Jones has not contacted the Texas HC yet. The Cowboys have reached out to their former OC, Kellen Moore, with an official interview request. Moore would be a more conventional hire than Sanders, but the latter obviously would generate considerably more interest in the team. And it does not appear the Sanders-to-Dallas path is closed just yet.

Cowboys Considering Deion Sanders For Head Coaching Job

January 13th, 2025 at 10:35pm CST by Ben Levine

10:35pm: Sanders acknowledged that Jones reached out to him about the Cowboys HC job, but the coach also reiterated his commitment to Colorado.

“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” Deion Sanders said (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter). “I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.”

7:50pm: While Deion Sanders has been mentioned as a potential candidate for a handful of NFL jobs, the Colorado head coach has yet to garner definitive interest from an organization. It sounds like that’s about to change, as the Cowboys apparently have their former star player on their radar.

According to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has spoken with Sanders about the team’s head coaching vacancy. “Discussions are expected to continue,” and Prime is considered a top candidate for the position. At the same time, Schultz cautions that the organization plans to interview other candidates as part of their process. The two sides haven’t scheduled an interview, but they’re expected to continue the dialogue, per Schultz.

Sanders, of course, had a standout five-year stint with the organization after the Cowboys won the “Deion Sweepstakes” during the 1995 offseason. While Sanders was limited to only nine games during his debut season in Dallas, he had a productive three-game postseason run to a Super Bowl championship (his second-straight after his one-season stop in San Francisco). Sanders proceeded to earn three-straight first-team All-Pro nods with the Cowboys between 1996 and 1998, but he was released due to salary-cap constraints following the 1999 campaign.

Close to two decades after his playing career ended, Sanders returned to the sideline as head coach of his own Prime Prep Academy. After coaching his sons for a year in high school, he was named head coach of Jackson State University, where he spent three seasons. He parlayed that performance into a gig at Colorado, where he had a chance to once again coach his son, Shedeur Sanders. Colorado’s run this past season solidified Sanders as an up-and-coming head coach, and it didn’t take long for the Hall of Famer to be connected to NFL coaching vacancies.

That included the job in Las Vegas, which Sanders was reportedly eyeing. The coach has a relationship with Tom Brady (who is spearheading the Raiders search), and there’s a chance the organization could make a move for Shedeur in the draft. Ultimately, the Raiders denied their interest in Sanders, but it didn’t take long for Prime Time to pop back up as a candidate in Dallas.

The Cowboys announced today that they’re moving on from Mike McCarthy, opening the door for a potential Dallas return for Sanders. The coach previously said he’d only consider a move to the NFL if he had the opportunity to coach his son, and with Dak Prescott attached to a newly-inked extension, it seems unlikely that Shedeur would land in Dallas. However, perhaps Deion would change his tune considering his relationship with the Cowboys organization. Schultz echoes the sentiment that Sanders has generally dismissed a move to the NFL, “but this was one call he wasn’t going to ignore.”

Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

January 13th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

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.

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.

Cowboys, Mike McCarthy Continuing Conversations; Delays Could Prove Costly

January 9th, 2025 at 2:39pm CST by Ely Allen

JANUARY 9: McCarthy is viewed as more likely to stay in Dallas than move on, according to some close to the situation (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). The former Super Bowl winner could push his way to the market by not agreeing to a deal, but for now, it does not appear the Cowboys are keen on merely letting their five-year HC walk.

JANUARY 8: The situation in Dallas continues to be fairly tenuous. After early reports indicated that Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones was undecided about keeping head coach Mike McCarthy in his current role, the newest intel from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport indicates that the two sides want to continue working together, they just need to find an agreement that works.

McCarthy’s contract expires on January 14, making it an easy decision to cut off communication for two weeks if either side wishes to opt out. Instead, Rapoport points to a number of supporting factors like the fact that the two sides are in constant communication or that Jones denied the Bears permission to interview McCarthy. Rapoport does note his opinion that the Bears denial was a performative gesture, acknowledging McCarthy’s leverage in the negotiations.

Per Rapoport, the sides appear to want to work something out. He believes that it’s just a matter of figuring out the right length and compensation in the contract, though those talks have yet to begin. The remaining discussions to be had will center around everyone’s continuing role and what things will look like moving forward, as the status quo has certainly led to disappointment.

This delay and back-and-forth of performative gestures may serve both Jones and McCarthy as they seek the best terms for themselves, but ultimately, it could prove damaging to the Cowboys organization as a whole. While McCarthy is still under contract for a little less than a week, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS points out that the team’s assistant coaches are officially free agents. The employees can continue working alongside McCarthy and continue being paid as at-will employees, but they are out of the office until Monday, and their phone lines are open.

Per Hill, those phones are ringing. Hill reported that candidates who are being interviewed for open head coaching positions have already started reaching out to Dallas’ assistants about joining their prospective staffs. As Jones and McCarthy continue to flirt with the idea of a new contract, their assistants may be slipping out from beneath them for other, more solid opportunities.

NFC Coaching Rumors: Cowboys, Vrabel, Johnson

December 31st, 2024 at 8:36pm CST by Ely Allen

After failing to make it past the Divisional Round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year as Cowboys head coach, Mike McCarthy entered the 2024 NFL season on a bit of a hot seat. Often that type of pressure comes externally from a disgruntled fan base or media criticism, but the fact that nearly the entire coaching staff, including McCarthy, was playing on the final year of their contracts didn’t help.

McCarthy is known for coaching playoff teams. In 13 years with the Packers, McCarthy took the team to the playoffs nine times. Green Bay did make it to four NFC Championship Games under McCarthy, advancing to (and winning) only one Super Bowl. In Dallas, McCarthy has seen similar regular season success followed by postseason struggles. After a 6-10 debut season with the Cowboys, McCarthy led the team to the playoffs with three straight 12-5 seasons. In those three postseason appearances, McCarthy’s squad has only won one game, failing to make any NFC Championship Game appearances.

According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, team owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones doesn’t believe the staff’s lame duck status was a distraction during a tumultuous 2024 campaign. In fact, Jones believes “people do better…when they don’t have a contract.” So far, Jones has been noncommittal on the future of McCarthy and his staff. He claimed in a recent interview that he doesn’t feel that he’s “under any unusual time frame at all.”

Jones doesn’t seem to have made much of an indication at all hinting at whether or not he sees McCarthy returning, and at the moment, he doesn’t appear to be in any hurry to make such a decision.

Here are a few other coaching rumors coming out of the NFC:

In an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tabbed Browns coaching and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel as a name to watch for the Giants‘ likely opening head coaching position. After his first head coaching stint with the Titans came to an end, Vrabel was unable to secure another gig, settling at the time for a minor role in Cleveland. Breer believes that New York has an advantage in securing Vrabel’s services, thinking that Vrabel’s likely picks for general manager (Ryan Cowden) and defensive coordinator (Shane Bowen) are already in house. Cowden was vice president of player personnel (and interim general manager) during Vrabel’s tenure in Tennessee and now serves as executive advisor to the general manager in New York. Fired alongside Vrabel in Tennessee, Bowen went from one defensive coordinator job to the other, coaching the Giants’ unit this season. Though the season is not yet over for Cleveland, head coach Kevin Stefanski indicated that Vrabel’s contract was amended in order “to allow him to get a jumpstart” on interviews, per ESPN’s Tony Grossi.
In another interview, this one with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero on Good Morning Football, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was discussed. According to Pelissero, Johnson’s likeliest destination in 2025 remains Chicago. Johnson is looking for a place at which he can build alignment and sustainable, long-term success, similar to what was built in Detroit. So far, all signs seem to be pointing to Johnson taking the intra-divisional job with the Bears, keeping in mind, of course, that him getting hired as head coach of Washington seemed like a sure thing last year before he made the decision to remain with the Lions. With Vrabel and Johnson being established as the two hot names for teams looking for a new skipper this offseason, we’ve seen their names connected to several teams. Breer recently reported a new connection, though, claiming that many see the Jaguars as a good fit for Johnson, should they part ways with Doug Pederson.

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