Cowboys Expected to Bring Back Familiar Candidate for Head Coach Role

The Dallas Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy parted ways on Monday, January 13, and now, the search is on for a new coach. Plenty of names are in the mix, and considering that the Cowboys are “America’s Team,” it’s obvious that many parties will be interested in the job opening.

One NFL expert and analyst has an interesting prediction about who the Cowboys will end up hiring to replace McCarthy, and it’s a name that’s familiar to the team and its fans.

ESPN NFL Analyst Projects New Dallas Cowboys Head Coach

ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes in a January 14 feature that he believes the team will interview a range of coaches, both from the NFL and college football field. Among the college coaches that he believes will come in and out of Dallas during the interview process are Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, USC’s Lincoln Riley, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Iowa State’s Matt Campbell.

One name, though, stands above the rest. Graziano predicts that Dallas will hire former Cowboys and current Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore as the franchise’s head coach. Moore also played for the Cowboys, so he’s very familiar with the franchise.

“The Cowboys are obviously still extremely early in their process, and we have no idea how extensive their interview list will be once they get rolling,” Graziano noted in the feature. “But Moore — who played for the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017 (including two years as Dak Prescott‘s backup quarterback), then spent a year as the team’s quarterbacks coach and then four more as the offensive coordinator — has an obvious connection to the organization and its current QB.”

Graziano added that Moore has interviewed for head coaching positions in the past and is interviewing during this cycle, too.

Moore’s offense, Graziano notes, with the Philadelphia Eagles is sixth at 26.7 points per game. In comparison, the Cowboys’ offense this season averaged 18.9 points per game, making them 25th in the league.

The Philadelphia Eagles will host the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs on Sunday, January 19, at Lincoln Financial Field.

Jerry Jones Says Farewell to Mike McCarthy

In Cowboys owner, president and general manager Jerry Jones’ message regarding parting ways with McCarthy, Jones thanked the coach for his time with the team while saying that the Cowboys were immediately looking to move on.

“Over the past week, Mike and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones stated. “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover.” However, Jones said that before getting to contract negotiations, “it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

Jones added that he thanks McCarthy and wishes the former Cowboys coach, “his wife Jessica and their family the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here.”

Jones also said that the Dallas Cowboys were starting “a search process immediately to hire the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”