Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has decided to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle and won’t coach in the NFL this season, sources told Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
McCarthy spent the last five seasons with the Cowboys but wasn’t able to agree to terms on a new contract with the team after his deal expired at the end of the 2024 campaign. The 61-year-old posted a 49-35 regular-season record in Dallas but failed to help the franchise get over the playoff hump and left with a 1-3 postseason mark.
He generated interest from the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints this year, but the Bears ended up hiring Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson instead.