Former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy predicted to land NFC coaching gig

As the Dallas Cowboys conduct their search for a new head coach, their recently departed leader, Mike McCarthy, appears to be gaining traction elsewhere in the NFC.

Yahoo Sports' Cory Woodroof, who analyzed the league's five remaining coaching vacancies, predicts that McCarthy will land the New Orleans Saints' head coaching position.

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New Orleans is working to schedule an interview with McCarthy. They have already interviewed last season's interim head coach, Darren Rizzi, along with Kellen Moore, a Cowboys coaching candidate, Joe Brady, Aaron Glenn, Mike Kafka, and Anthony Weaver.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the field against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

"McCarthy should land another head coaching job in this cycle, and New Orleans might be his best landing spot," Woodroof said. "If the Saints really are determined to run it back and not kick off a rebuild, McCarthy is a good candidate to bring some stability to the franchise. However, a rebuild makes more sense."

The veteran coach, who led Dallas to three consecutive playoff appearances between 2021 and 2023, has been exploring opportunities across the league.

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While McCarthy recently interviewed with the Chicago Bears, that door closed Monday when the team opted to hire one of the top candidates in the market, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. This leaves the Saints as the only other team McCarthy's name has been linked to.

Not saying this means much in the NFC South, but if the Saints hired Mike McCarthy he'd be the best coach in the division by a fair margin.

I get it, he wouldn't be an exciting hire. But I'm also not going to pretend he's a bad coach.
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) January 21, 2025

McCarthy's impressive resume—including a Super Bowl victory with Green Bay and a 185–123–2 career record—could make him an attractive option for a Saints team that may not be committed to a rebuild but instead, someone who could help them make a push to win in a weak division.

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