The Dallas Cowboys will officially have a new head coach on the sidelines in AT&T Stadium next season. After days of conversations, Mike McCarthy will not return to coach the team in 2025.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McCarthy is set to become a coaching free agent after the two sides engaged in no discussions about a new deal. McCarthy is reportedly expected to be a candidate for the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints head coach openings.

With McCarthy not returning to Dallas, owner Jerry Jones has the tall task of trying to find a new head coach. The good news for the Cowboys is that only one guy has been hired – Mike Vrabel in New England. But the bad news is most of the top head coaching candidates have started to interview with other teams.

Therefore, Jones might have to take a different approach to find Dallas’ next head coach. One option could be Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, but the other potential option could be Bill Belichick.

Belichick shockingly took the head coaching position at the University of North Carolina last month after not getting little to no head coaching interviews last year. Now that’s not to say, an NFL team can’t try to poach Belichick from UNC before the 2025 college football season begins, but it will cost a hefty price.

According to Brian Murphy of WRAL, Belichick’s contract terms at UNC include a $10-million buyout if he were to leave the school before Jun. 1. But if Belichick leaves on or after that date, his buyout would be $1 million.

Jones has been a fan of Belichick. Last year, the Cowboys owner said that he liked him and that they could work together. Jones said this despite keeping McCarthy as the Cowboys’ head coach.

Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Jones put in a phone call to check in on the former Pats head coach. However, Belichick and his camp reportedly never had an indication that this job would open up.

According to FOX Sports NFL Insider of Jordan Schultz, the former Patriots head coach would have been interested in the Dallas job, and it is believed the Cowboys would’ve been interested in him if Belichick had known the position would become available.

Schultz adds that Belichick and his camp never received any indication during backchannel convos that the job would open up, leading to him ending up at UNC.

Even though it seems like a long shot that the Cowboys could get a coach like Belichick, given the financial ramifications, Dallas could realistically go after him. Belichick would have a better roster in Dallas than in New England, but would he want those pressures of trying to get the Cowboys to the NFC title game or Super Bowl?