After five seasons as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Mike McCarthy will be moving on after the sides reportedly couldn't agree on the length of a new contract.
This could open the door for Deion Sanders, current head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, as he opens as the betting favorite in the latest NFL odds to replace McCarthy.
Dallas Cowboys next coach odds
| Candidate | Odds |
|---|---|
| Deion Sanders | +100 |
| Joe Brady | +300 |
| Ben Johnson | +325 |
| Bobby Slowik | +1000 |
| Brian Flores | +1000 |
| Robert Saleh | +1000 |
| Aaron Glenn | +1500 |
| Matt Nagy | +1800 |
| Tony Romo | +2800 |
Odds as of 1-13-2025.
Dallas Cowboys situation at a glance
Despite relative success throughout his Dallas Cowboys tenure, it's always — at least somewhat — felt like Mike McCarthy was living on borrowed time.
After losing to the Green Bay Packers in last year's Wild Card Round, rumblings emerged that, despite three straight 12-5 seasons, McCarthy could be on his way out thanks to a 1-3 playoff record and general disappointment in clutch games.
While some of the blame can be laid at McCarthy's feet for a 7-10 record in 2024, much of the season was played without franchise QB Dak Prescott, as a hamstring injury limited him to eight games.
Initially, it looked like McCarthy would be safe for at least another season but neither side agreed on terms, and America's Team will be looking for a new head coach.
Dallas Cowboys next coach favorites
Deion Sanders (+100)
Coach Prime has already been linked to the Las Vegas Raiders in their pursuit of a new head coach, but the fit with the Cowboys might be better. Early odds certainly seem to think so, with even money on the table for Deion Sanders to land in Big D.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves to make a big splash, and Dallas hasn't advanced beyond the Divisional Round since winning Super Bowl 30.
You know who was on that championship roster? Deion Sanders.
Like Jones, Sanders will want to make a big splash if he's jumping from the college ranks to the NFL. With his shared history with the organization, it would make sense.
And even though Jones was noncommittal, perhaps even dismissive, about the idea of hiring Sanders when asked in November, McCarthy was still the head coach! Why would the owner cut off his current bench boss at the knees publicly in the middle of a season?
Joe Brady (+300)
Current Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady will be a hot commodity if he decides to leave Orchard Park in the offseason. Buffalo's offense has been humming, and perhaps the thought would be he could help boost Prescott & Co.
And Jones seems to have developed less of a trigger finger when it comes to removing his head coaches after disappointments. McCarthy was yanked after five seasons but was poised to stay on for at least a sixth until recently. Before him, Jason Garrett lasted 10 seasons at the helm despite the lack of Super Bowls.
So Brady could be entering a situation that isn't incumbent on him to immediately win a title, which could give him a chance to get his feet wet. At 35, he'd represent a youth movement for Dallas.
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Ben Johnson (+325)
Like Brady, Ben Johnson will be highly sought after this offseason for any head coaching vacancies.
The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator has helped lead one of the most explosive attacks in the NFL, which has been especially impressive since the Lions have dealt with myriad injuries on the defensive side of the ball, relying more heavily on the offense.
He's already been linked to the Chicago Bears and Raiders but could be just the man Jones wants if he thinks hiring Sanders is too much of a circus sideshow
Bobby Slowik, Brian Flores, Robert Saleh (+1000)
Bobby Slowik was one of the primary contenders to take McCarthy's spot a year ago when it seemed like his tenure was finished. That didn't happen. McCarthy stayed on and Slowik remained the Houston Texans offensive coordinator.
He measures up similarly to Brady and Johnson in that he's an offensive-minded coach who's under 40 and will be coveted on the open market. Perhaps some of the hype has cooled after CJ Stroud had a mixed sophomore season, but he could interview well and knock Jerry's socks off.
Brian Flores is the more defensive-minded option of the bunch, and while his head coaching tenure with the Miami Dolphins was brief, he still went 24-25 across three seasons and was canned because the team was trying to lure Sean Payton.
As for Robert Saleh, he seems destined to sign on as a defensive coordinator somewhere after getting fired by the New York Jets. That situation was untenable, though, and he won't wear the brunt of the blame for the Aaron Rodgers fiasco. And he's apparently interviewed for the Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars jobs, so maybe his turnaround will be quick.
