With so much attention focused on whether the Dallas Cowboys will bring back Mike McCarthy, few have discussed the possibility of him finding a head coaching job elsewhere.
McCarthy is closing the final year of his contract. An offseason change seemed likely when the Cowboys fell to 3-7, but they've won four of their last five games without Dak Prescott. That strong finish could earn McCarthy an extension in Dallas, but one analyst suggested he could leave for a former NFC rival.
On Tuesday's The Facility, Chase Daniel called the Chicago Bears a "fascinating" landing spot for McCarthy. He explained why the former Green Bay Packers head coach could return to the NFC North to align with Caleb Williams.
"You know that division," Daniel said. "You have a rookie quarterback who -- you would say at the time he's coming out -- is more developed than Dak Prescott, a fourth-round pick, was. You have an old-school mentality, which the Chicago Bears need, and you don't have to deal with a crazy owner."
Daniel isn't predicting that move happening, but he believes a McCarthy and Williams pairing "makes sense." The former backup quarterback suggested the Super Bowl champion is now entering the offseason with some leverage.
"It's just crazy how the pendulum has swung," Daniel said. "The power's back in Mike's hands."
Daniel shared a clip of the FS1 segment on social media while reminding everyone that it's not only up to the Cowboys whether McCarthy returns in 2025.
"People don’t realize that Mike McCarthy is actually a free agent & can sign anywhere," Daniel wrote. "Are we SURE he wants to go back to Dallas? The Chicago Bears should be lurking around."
Per Ed Werder, McCarthy downplayed any desire to receive more certainty about his job status.
"I do believe in time and place, and this is not the time or the place for me to speak on it," McCarthy said. "Really, my focus is more about the staff. Their concern is higher for me, because change is something that happens in our league all the time. It's part of this industry. And I understand it. I am at a different point in my life. I'm more focused on them, and I know that the best way to help everybody is to take care of what's in front of us."
McCarthy could bolster his future job outlook by leading the Cowboys to a road upset over the Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday.
