Mike McCarthy has chosen to take a break from NFL coaching ahead of the 2025 season. The former Cowboys and Packers head coach will focus on job opportunities in the 2026 hiring cycle instead of returning to Dallas, where his contract negotiations failed this past year.
Following his departure due to contract issues, McCarthy interviewed for the Chicago Bears and the Saints but did not secure any offers before making his decision. The Cowboys will now look elsewhere to replace their outgoing head coach.
This is not McCarthy’s first break from coaching after being fired by the Packers in 2018. He returned to Dallas in 2020, where he led the team to a 49-35 record and three postseason appearances, though no Super Bowl victory.
With a strong resume, McCarthy is considered a viable candidate for next season’s hiring cycle, though it will remain a long time before his return as a head coach. For now, the Dallas Cowboys will continue without him in 2025.
Source: https://www.nfl.com/news/former-cowboys-hc-mike-mccarthy-won-t-coach-this-season-will-focus-on-2026-hiring-cycle