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Waiting in the Wings: Jerry Jones Touting Ex Patriots' Belichick as Cowboys' Next Coach?

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is leaving the door wide open to hire former New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick.

Having decided to bring back Mike McCarthy for 2024 and given a chance to shut down the Bill-Belichick-to-the-Dallas-Cowboys rumors, Jerry Jones this week instead left the door wide open.

"I know him personally and I like him,” Jones told reporters while watching Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Alabama. “There’s no doubt in my mind we could work together. None. None.”

Patriots - Bill Belichick Jerry Jones

In bringing McCarthy back for a lame-duck season in 2024 - he'll be coaching on the final year of his contract - Jones has already publicly stated that he is "100 percent supportive" of his head coach. And Belichick - who parted ways with the New England Patriots Jan. 11 after an unprecedented quarter-century of success - is likely to sit out next season, perhaps doing TV, while waiting for job openings in 2025.

But because of Jones' teasing and the media's foaming at the mouth for the marriage between America's Team and the NFL's winningest coach, each Cowboys loss next season will likely amplify Belichick's shadow.

Jones went out of his way to praise McCarthy again Tuesday. But also refused to give a definitive "no" on Belichick one day coaching the Cowboys.

“We all know that he’s certainly excellent, maybe at the top of his profession,” Jones said of Belichick. “To say that any one person automatically assures you a Super Bowl is ridiculous. That’s too high of an expectation for him. But is he maybe the greatest pro football coach of all time? Could very well be.

“He is a friend and I like him and I want to make real clear: I wouldn’t have any problem working with him.”