We've made it, gang. We've reached the final Mike McCarthy Cowboys contract update.
I'm not sure anyone's surprised at this point, but Jerry Jones' approach to a Cowboys contract has been A Whole Thing. This time around it was McCarthy, who was scheduled to be a free agent first thing Wednesday morning. McCarthy's been a popular name in this season's coaching cycle, and he certainly went into contract negotiations with plenty of leverage.
RELATED: Troy Aikman states the painfully obvious about Cowboys' Mike McCarthy saga
And yet, over the last few weeks, the idea of McCarthy returning for a sixth season has seemed more and more realistic. Winning four of the season's last seven games – with only one bad loss in that stretch – will do that, I guess. At this point, most everyone knows what McCarthy does and does not bring to the table and, like always, the process had just become a Jerry Jones waiting game.
But it's done. It's finished. According to NFL's Tom Pelissero, McCarthy won't return to Dallas next season. On Monday morning, Pelissero tweeted out some details, reporting – among other things – that the two sides couldn't agree on the length of a contract.
Mike McCarthy's time as the Dallas Cowboys coach is officially over
Sources: Mike McCarthy is out as #Cowboys coach.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 13, 2025
The sides couldn’t agree on length of contract and McCarthy will pursue other opportunities. He leaves Dallas with a winning record and three playoff appearances. pic.twitter.com/MJzWvUlfjU
All things considered, this is a shocking outcome. It seemed that the Joneses had serious intentions about bringing McCarthy back, but Pelissero's report suggests that contract negotiations never made it off the ground.
Regardless, the Cowboys could not have handled this any worse. Not only did they deny McCarthy the chance to interview with the Bears just to cut him loose, but they are now significantly behind the several other teams who need a new coach. As of this writing, the Patriots are the only team that has hired a coach. They agreed to terms with Mike Vrabel over the weekend.
The million-dollar question now is whom Jerry Jones targets to replace McCarthy. Part of the reason some Cowboys fans were fine with McCarthy returning was their lack of faith in the front office to hire an upgrade.
All we have to say is be careful what you wish for. The list of interviews Jones will eventually have lined up will not inspire confidence. Expect names like Ron Rivera, Kellen Moore, Jason Witten and Anthony Lynn to be in the mix.
As we saw with McCarthy five years ago, this team is going to prioritize experience over youth and innovation.