Mike McCarthy

The Dallas Cowboys are staring down the barrel of one of the worst seasons in recent history, sitting at 3-6 and with their starting quarterback out for the season.

Mike McCarthy brought a fine record into this season, but having failed to cut it in the playoffs, he still entered the season with question marks hanging over his Cowboys future.

Owner Jerry Jones didn’t help, refusing to commit to a long-term future with McCarthy, while the front office endured a disastrously quiet off-season despite Jones Sr suggesting he and the franchise were ‘all-in’ for a Super Bowl.

The lack of trades and poor roster moves have caught up with the Cowboys, who are third in the NFC East and almost certain to miss out on a playoff run, with Dak Prescott undergoing season-ending surgery, leaving back-up Cooper Rush to play in his absence.

With the season all-but over, the writing may be on the wall for McCarthy, with suggestions that he will be replaced in the next off-season as ‘America’s team’ look to shake things up in a bid to return to being Super Bown contenders.

Who could replace McCarthy?

According to Bleacher Report reporter Kristopher Knox, the Cowboys could turn to legendary coach Bill Belichick to replace McCarthy.

“The Cowboys may not fire their head coach because they don’t have to. McCarthy is in the final year of his contract, which Dallas can simply choose not to renew. Franchise owner Jerry Jones probably won’t pull the plug on McCarthy before the offseason,” Knox said.

“Realistically, Jones will only deviate from his plan if a coach who isn’t currently employed by another team decides he wants to get an early start on the 2025 season-and, yes, we’re thinking of Bill Belichick, probably as much as Jones is.”

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Belichick will be itching to get back into the game as he spends this season operating as a pundit. The former Patriots head coach is desperate to beat Don Shula’s winning record, but his final years with the Patriots, which were marred by poor decisions on his part, have scared many away from hiring him as a head coach.

The latest coaching recruitment round also suggested that franchises are especially hesitant to hand him any control of roster moves given his recent misses.