Cowboys coaching candidates: Deion Sanders, Ben Johnson among 7 options

Jerry Jones just got rid of a coach who went 36-15 from 2021-2023 before enduring this past injury-filled season. He did it even though they played hard for him down the stretch. He did this after praising him for weeks as they couldn’t agree on a new contract.

And worse, he let Mike McCarthy go a full week into the offseason coaching carousel, after one of the top candidates — Mike Vrabel — had already been removed from the board when he was hired by the New England Patriots.

Maybe this all makes sense to Jones. Maybe he has a brilliant plan. Maybe he’s playing a style of chess that’s hard for everyone to see right now. But after letting McCarthy writhe for months, then waiting a week longer than necessary to make this decision final, it’s understandable that everyone in the NFL is suddenly wondering: What’s next?

With Jerry Jones, anything is possible. But at least he still has plenty of options – some of which may seem crazy, but surely can’t be ruled out. So here is a list of seven possible candidates to replace McCarthy as the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys:

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator: He’s been the most sought-after candidate in each of the last two hiring cycles, and there’s no chance Jones won’t try to get on his list. He made it known during the season that he was going to be very selective this time around, but he has already completed initial interviews with the Patriots, Bears, Raiders and Jaguars. Really, what’s one more? It’s not yet clear whether Jones would want a third straight offensive-minded coach, but no one doubts Johnson’s credentials after the stellar job he did running one of the NFL’s most creative offenses and making quarterback Jared Goff a star in Detroit.

Deion Sanders, University of Colorado head coach: Although he doesn’t always act this way in his business decisions, Jones is a showman at heart. He understands how to attract attention and how to sell a product. And who knows these things better than “Coach Prime”? But Sanders has proven that he is much more than pomp and publicity. He is also a very good coach. He turned Jackson State into an FCS power, then turned Colorado into a bowl team. He’s also a master at recruiting, which could help at least a little in free agency. The lack of NFL coaching experience is irrelevant since he brings instant credibility as an NFL Hall of Fame player. He would command respect and inspire the Cowboys to play hard. Prime Time would also prepare them for prime time when the playoffs arrive.

Kingsbury Cliff, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator: Let’s not rule out the appeal of this native Texan who began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Houston, then joined Texas A&M before becoming the head coach at Texas Tech. He has NFL head coaching experience with four seasons in Arizona (2019-22), which included a playoff berth. He is known as an innovative offensive mind and he has obviously done wonders in Washington with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. He would likely be a popular and exciting hire, although it’s unclear whether Jones cares much.

Bill Belichick, head coach of the University of North Carolina: Don’t laugh. Even though Belichick maintains he’s serious about moving to the college ranks, there’s a reason the buyout in his contract is so relatively modest ($10 million now, $1 million from June). There have already been reports that he would be interested in the Raiders job, and before becoming a Tar Heel, he called several NFL teams to see if they would be interested in him. Those who know him swear that the Cowboys are one of the teams he has watched for several years. And there’s no doubt that Jones, who once had Belichick’s former boss Bill Parcells as his head coach, would also be interested. It’s been a while since Jones made a big, bold power move like this, but if anyone wants to convince Belichick to abandon North Carolina after a month, Jones might be the most likely owner to do it.

Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator: He was a popular offensive coordinator in Dallas from 2019 to 2022, when his offense ranked No. 1 overall in the NFL twice and 11th and 14th in the other two seasons. Things didn’t end well when McCarthy wanted to start presenting his own plays, but Moore still has plenty of friends in the organization. Additionally, in his first year in Philadelphia, he completely revived the Eagles’ offense that was a mess in 2023 and finished that season ranked eighth with a scheme built around running back Saquon Barkley and a powerful rushing attack. . This looks like something the Cowboys could use.

Pete Carroll, former Seattle Seahawks head coach: The 73-year-old really wants to return to the NFL. And while some might consider him too old, he’s only seven months older than Belichick. Jones, 82, is unlikely to view age as a barrier anyway. Additionally, Carroll’s youthful energy was always considered an asset. He is also a confirmed winner. In fact, he is one of only three head coaches to have won both a Super Bowl and a national championship (it should be noted that the other two are former Cowboys coaches: Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer) . Oh, and he was once a graduate assistant at Jones’ beloved alma mater, the University of Arkansas.

Jason Witten, head coach at Liberty Christian (Tex.) High School: It might be absurd, at first glance, to think that anyone could go straight from high school head coach to NFL head coach. Maybe it is. But Witten is a favorite of Jones who spent 16 seasons playing for the Cowboys. And remember, there are plenty of teams that want to emulate what Dan Campbell did in Detroit. Never mind that Campbell had plenty of coaching experience in the NFL. For some, what he did went way beyond that. That’s why Jones said this about Witten in November: “He’s got something that you can’t elaborate on. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end that’s the head coach over in Detroit right now. Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances, but more important than anything, he really understands the physicality and the mentality of being physical and that part of that, without a doubt, he could become (an NFL coach). By the way, Witten also led Liberty Christian to back-to-back Texas state titles, right in Jones’ backyard.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants And Jets for SNY TV in new Yorkand before that, 16 years covering the Giants and NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

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