After being let go by the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, it was initially assumed by most that Mike McCarthy would have little trouble finding a new home as a head coach. But with just one head coaching position available around the NFL, McCarthy has made the difficult decision regarding his NFL future.
McCarthy, who led the Cowboys to the postseason each of the last three seasons before a disappointing 7-10 season in 2024, briefly found himself as a candidate for the vacant Chicago Bears head coaching position.
However, that position was instead given to a young candidate in former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
The lone vacancy around the NFL is the New Orleans Saints head coaching position. And while McCarthy could likely find himself as a top candidate for the position should he want it, he has reportedly opted to instead prepare for the upcoming 2026 coaching carousel in the NFL.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, McCarthy has decided to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle and will not coach in the NFL this coming season, removing himself from the Saints coaching job in the process.
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
Among the vacancies around the NFL to begin the offseason, the Saints were widely believe to be among one of the least desirable of the bunch.
One reason in particular is that coming in this past season, the Saints had the fifth oldest combined age around the NFL.
The Saints also have a very unclear direction in terms of the quarterback position on the roster heading into the 2025 season. It’s unclear how much Derek Carr has left in the tank and whether the Saints want to continue paying him throughout the remainder of his contract, which is two more years.
McCarthy likely saw that Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick ended up with premiere coaching jobs after taking a year away from coaching.
If things turn out similarly for McCarthy, it will be a year away that pays off in the end for him.
