5 possible Mike McCarthy replacements for Cowboys if disaster strikes

4. Mike Macdonald, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator

Another young coach, Mike Macdonald is also just 36 years of age and has been coaching for more than a decade. After spending a couple of years as a position coach in high school, he made his way to the University of Georgia. He was there as a grad assistant and defensive quality control assistant from 2010 through 2013.

He got his break into the NFL in 2014 when Jon Harbaugh hired him as a coaching intern. He worked his way up through the ranks and was on their staff until 2020. During that span, he was a defensive assistant, defensive backs coach, and linebackers coach — having success at each spot.

He impressed the Harbaugh family enough that Jim Harbaugh hired him as the defensive coordinator at Michigan. They had a top-10 defense under Macdonald and not only won the Big Ten but even made it to the College Football Playoffs.

Macdonald made his way back to the NFL the following year when the Ravens needed to replace Wink Martindale. Macdonald has now been the defensive coordinator in Baltimore for the past two seasons. They've continued to be one of the toughest defenses in the NFL and it won't be long until he's hired to run a team of his own. Perhaps that happens in Dallas if they decide to make a change.