5 Mike McCarthy replacements the Cowboys should have on speed dial

Jan 2, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton on the sidelines in the second half against the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome. The Saints won, 18-10. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton on the sidelines in the second half against the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome. The Saints won, 18-10. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Cowboys, Dan Quinn
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn of the Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

3. Dan Quinn, Defensive Coordinator

There have been rumors about Quinn replacing McCarthy for months now. He managed to put together one of the best defensive seasons the franchise has seen in years, while subsequently showing off leadership skills and experience that carries serious weight.

He has won the NFC as a head coach, and he is now changing the defensive culture and performance as an assistant in Dallas.

The Cowboys very nearly lost him this off-season as he had a ton of interest from head-coach-needy teams, but they lucked out and kept their coveted DC. That will simply not last forever though, especially if the defense keeps improving.

Quinn has become loved by the players and front office in an incredibly short amount of time. If they don’t see a positive future with McCarthy and Quinn continues to get head coaching interest, there may end up firing Quinn’s boss in order to promote him.

Barring a falloff from Quinn and the defense, expect these rumors to keep circulating until McCarthy gives the fans a reason to support him.