Mike McCarthy isn’t rushing back to the NFL sidelines. After five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, the veteran head coach is making an unconventional move, stepping away from coaching in 2025 and playing the long game.
Mike McCarthy Is Playing the Waiting Game
The Cowboys chose not to renew McCarthy’s contract following a disappointing 7-10 campaign, a sharp decline from their previous three straight 12-win seasons that had defined his tenure.
But instead of scrambling for a quick landing spot, McCarthy is doing something few coaches in his position would: waiting.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that McCarthy will sit out the 2025 season, opting instead to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle. It’s a calculated move from a coach who, despite recent setbacks, remains a respected figure in league circles. With 12 playoff appearances across 18 seasons, McCarthy’s résumé makes it very likely that he’ll be a coveted candidate next offseason, just based on his previous experience.
Former #Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has decided to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle and will not coach in the NFL this season, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
McCarthy, who has made the playoffs 12 times in 18 seasons, is expected to be a strong candidate a year from now. pic.twitter.com/Vr8mMijIkq
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 29, 2025
Why Did Dallas Move On From McCarthy?
McCarthy’s exit wasn’t a shock. While his Cowboys teams consistently made the playoffs, they rarely made any noise once they got there.
In five seasons, McCarthy went 49-35, including three straight 12-5 records. Yet, those regular-season wins didn’t translate into deep postseason runs — Dallas never advanced beyond the Divisional Round under his leadership.
The 2024 season sealed McCarthy’s fate. The Cowboys stumbled to a 7-10 finish, their worst record since 2020. Penalties were a recurring issue, as Dallas ranked fourth-worst in the league in infractions. That lack of discipline was a hallmark of McCarthy’s tenure, and the Cowboys averaged 6.8 penalties per game over his five seasons, the most in the NFL.
Defensively, the team collapsed in critical situations. Dallas ranked dead last in red-zone defensive efficiency, a glaring contrast to playoff contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, who consistently forced opponents into tough field-goal decisions.
Dallas’ Next Chapter
The Cowboys are now rolling the dice on Brian Schottenheimer. The decision to promote the veteran assistant to head coach has been met with heavy skepticism, with many questioning whether owner Jerry Jones passed over more dynamic candidates in favor of a familiar, controllable option.
Three-time Super Bowl champion and Cowboys legend Michael Irvin lost his mind after Dallas officially announced who their new head coach was.
Schottenheimer’s track record is mixed. Though he has years of offensive experience, his teams have rarely ranked among the league’s elite in scoring. This will be his first shot as an NFL head coach, and in a league that demands results, the pressure to deliver will be immense.
Meanwhile, McCarthy is playing the long game. By sitting out 2025, he’s betting that his experience and proven ability to win will outweigh the way things ended in Dallas. And given the ever-revolving door of NFL coaching, it’s a bet that could pay off in a big way for him.