GettyDallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will likely be out next season, and owner Jerry Jones is gushing over a surprising candidate.
With the Dallas Cowboys being 3-6 heading into Week 11, it’s pretty much believed inside the NFL that head coach Mike McCarthy won’t be the coach of the team next season. While former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a perennial favorite to replace McCarthy, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has brought up a new name, and Jones seems really into the idea.
Speaking in his regular interview on 105.4 the Fan, Jones named a possible head coach candidate who he says could be a “top coach.”
Jerry Jones Names New Possible Coaching Candidate for the Dallas Cowboys
In the November 15 radio interview, Jones talked about former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten as someone who would turn into a great coach.
When asked if he thought Witten could coach in the NFL, Jones was so positive that he even compared him to one of the hottest coaches right now: Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions.
“Yes,” Jones said, per Jon Machota of The Athletic. “Without hesitation. Yes. (Witten) has something that you can’t draw up. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit right now (Dan Campbell).”
He added, “Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances. But more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become (an NFL coach). He has extraordinary work ethic … He can be a top coach.”
Bill Belichick is Still a Favorite Among NFL Analysts
Regardless of what Jones says, Belichick is still a favorite among some NFL analysts and experts to replace McCarthy. In a November 14 feature for The Athletic, Jeff Howe writes that “Belichick is gearing up to try to get one more gig after an historic 24-year run with the New England Patriots. He’s got a few of his top lieutenants preparing to join him, too, so Belichick’s staff could look awfully familiar if he gets another job.”
“Belichick, who turns 73 in April, needs 15 wins to break Don Shula’s record. He might be a perfect candidate for a team that has a talented roster but needs a new voice, so the Dallas Cowboys have been pegged as an obvious fit,” Howe added. “Wherever Belichick goes, the timetable is paramount for both sides. Belichick won’t want to take over a full rebuild, and the organization would have to be comfortable knowing he’d likely only be there for a few years.”
Of course, the question for anyone coaching the Cowboys is how cool they’ll be with letting Jones have power over the situation.
“Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said numerous times that he’ll never hire a general manager, and there’s no way he’d diminish Will McClay’s role,” Howe stated. “Belichick might be OK with that structure in Dallas because it’s been in place for so long. But if the Cowboys stick with Mike McCarthy or go in another direction, would Belichick be good with getting paired with a less-experienced GM? Regardless, the hiring cycle will revolve around Belichick.”
