By Garrett Podell
Updated on: January 13, 2025 / 3:14 PM CST / CBS Texas
FRISCO – With just hours left on his four-year contract, the Dallas Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy have decided to part ways.
The team confirmed on Monday that the two parties could not reach a contract extension agreement.
That leaves one major question unanswered: who will lead the Cowboys in the 2025 season? Here are a five possible contenders:
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones likely has great familiarity with Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
He’s a former NFL head coach and is currently doing strong work with Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite Jayden Daniels for a division rival. Kingsbury also has Texas ties from his work as Texas A&M’s OC with Johnny Manziel and as Texas Tech’s head coach.
Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator
There probably isn’t a candidate as well-connected with the Cowboys as current Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
He played quarterback for the Cowboys, was a QBs coach for Dallas and served as the team’s offensive coordinator. After one year with Justin Herber and the Chargers in 2023, Moore is thriving with the Eagles in 2024.
Running back Saquon Barkley is the 2024 rushing champion, and Philadelphia has a top-10 scoring offense. This is the most Jason Garrett hire Jones can make.
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator
Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady would be a “get in on the ground floor” type of hire for Dallas.
He’s 35-years-old, but he has four years of experience as an NFL OC, including consecutive seasons of top-10 scoring offenses in Buffalo with quarterback Josh Allen.
He’s not a headline-grabbing name, but he has a track record of success. Brady also probably won’t cost as much to hire given his age and experience, relative to the going rate for NFL head coaching contracts.
Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn has one of the better resumes this coaching cycle, and he has Cowboys connections.
He played two seasons at corner for Dallas in 2005 and 2006 under head coach Bill Parcells. Glenn also molded the Lions’ 2024 unit into a top-10 scoring defense despite numerous injuries, including a season-ending one for Pro Bowl edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson in Week 6 against the Cowboys.
Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator
Ben Johnson has been the crown jewel of the NFL coaching carousel for the last two years.
The reason is his work with quarterback Jared Goff. Detroit has been a top-10 scoring offense in all three of his seasons as the team’s OC since 2022.
This would be a home run hire. Jones hiring Johnson would also be a way to jab the Commanders. They initially offered their opening to Johnson last offseason before hiring Dan Quinn off the Cowboys’ coaching staff. That was because Johnson pulled his name from consideration at the last minute. This hire would be a big win for Jones.
Garrett Podell works at CBS Sports as a sports research editor. Podell worked for NFL Network as an editorial researcher for 3 seasons, from 2019 to 2021, creating content for NFL Network shows and NFL.com articles. Podell graduated from Texas Christian University in 2019 with a double-major in Sports Broadcasting and Journalism, as well as minor in Business.
