The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas came to a resounding end on Monday. There was some speculation floating around the internet this past weekend that hinted McCarthy and the Cowboys weren't seeing eye-to-eye on a contract extension, and NFL Insider Tom Pelissero made things official when he reported news of the separation on Monday morning.
RELATED: Mike McCarthy era finally ends as Cowboys move on after agonizing delay
It's not entirely surprising – after another underwhelming season in Dallas, it always felt like a change of scenery made sense for both sides. But especially considering how the Cowboys played during the final two months of the season, there was a bit of a growing belief that he had "saved" his job in Dallas.
Now Jerry Jones and the rest of the Cowboys' front office will turn their attention towards hiring the next guy, which brings us to maybe the most painful Cowboys rumor you'll read all day.
According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, *legendary* college coach Bill Belichick would have been interested in the Cowboys job if they team hadn't, you know, dragged their feet making the decision to let McCarthy go for two weeks.
Bill Belichick reportedly really wanted to coach the Cowboys but got impatient with Jerry Jones
"FWIW: Bill Belichick would have been interested in the Cowboys' job, and it's believed that Dallas would have been interested in him, had he known the position would become available," Schultz tweeted on Monday morning. "Belichick and his camp never received any indication during backchannel conversations that the job would open up, which is partly why he ended up at UNC. Belichick has an excellent relationship with the Jones family."
Do we think Jerry Jones regrets delaying his McCarthy decision? Surely Belichick, arguably the greatest head coach in the history of the NFL, would have been at or near the top of Jones' list of replacements.
This feels like the type of report you take with a grain of salt, if only just to protect your inner peace. Given how his process of ending up at UNC played out, it sure seemed like Belichick was interested in literally any NFL opening that'd have him.
It stings to hear that Belichick would have taken the Cowboys' job over UNC, but only in the way that 20/20 hindsight always stings a little.
Maybe the Cowboys can succeed where the Raiders (reportedly) failed, and get the six-time Super Bowl champion to pull a 180 and leave UNC before he ever has to go coach a 11AM kickoff in Winston-Salem.
What's the point of the ever-so-powerful Cowboys' brand if not to make big moves like that? And if that doesn't work out the way it totally, definitely, absolutely will, I guess Ben Johnson will do just fine.