Fox Sports radio host Jason Smith believes that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones ruined Mike McCarthy’s 2025 head coaching opportunities. While discussing the Cowboys on the “The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon,” Smith outlined how the whole process delayed other teams from being able to properly interview and do their due diligence on the former Super Bowl champion coach.
Jones did not extend the contract of McCarthy earlier in January. Since then, “America’s Team” have promoted former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach in a surprising move.
Jason Smith’s Mike McCarthy Analysis
Smith made clear that Jones negatively impacted McCarthy’s chances of coaching in the NFL for the 2025 season due to his delayed process that ultimately ended up in McCarthy being a free agent.
“How serious of a candidate can he be when all of the sudden late in the game, and I mean late to the research and late to the looking into it and the phone calls and the background of what you need to do for each candidate. Like, it really is impossible to hire him at that point. Jerry Jones absolutely screwed him by letting him stay. Like, if you’re not going to, let him go man, let him go and go do something else,” Smith stated.
Mike McCarthy’s Future Coaching Outlook
McCarthy is already an established coach and was a Super Bowl champion while coaching Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. He currently ranks 13th all time in wins (185) by a head coach, ahead of legendary names like Pete Carroll, Bill Parcells, and Sean Payton.
However, it appears as though McCarthy will not be coaching for the 2025 NFL season. With only the New Orleans Saints remaining as a team in need of a new head coach, it was reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that McCarthy would be focusing on the 2026 head coaching cycle.
“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,” he stated.
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
Though he will be a strong candidate next year, as reported by Pelissero, it is evident that Smith believes that Jones is the reason why McCarthy will not be coaching next season in the NFL.