Brett's Cowboys Corner

Just after 11 on Monday, it was reported that the Dallas Cowboys would be parting separate ways with Head Coach Mike McCarthy. While many fans have been calling for his job over the past year. It is understandable why it may be difficult to part with a coach who has a winning record and is responsible for three 12 win seasons and three playoff berths.

For many it comes down to winning in the post season. McCarthy fielded a team that was great at winning the NFC East. From 2020-2024, if the Cowboys were built for anything, it was being successful in the division.

Once the Cowboys ran into more physical teams like the 49ers, Bills, Ravens, or Packers…they folded. Five years ago when McCarthy became the 9th HC of the Cowboys, you would have to think that the cover letter of the job offer said, “get past the divisional round.”

Of course a Superbowl is what everyone wants, but it’s only fair to ask a new HC to just be better than the last guy. Was McCarthy better than Jason Garrett? Well the leash was definitely shorter for McCarthy and he did more regular-season winning, but in the end they both got stuck in the 2nd round.

What Do The Cowboys Want?

Now the Cowboys will be looking for 10th head coach in their 65 year history. With the same goal, just get past the divisional round.

With it being the 10th coach, maybe the Cowboys will look to make a big splash, hire a no-nonsense big name coach…someone to bring the Cowboys into the ‘prime’ spotlight. Maybe it could be a young offensive genius and that they take a risk on. Maybe it’s a name no one could of ever expected.

Those all could be fun. But maybe the Cowboys do this process as they have done it for 29 years. In my lifetime of Cowboys fandom, they have never been risk takers or wildcards. They do things their way, abnormal to the rest of the league but the formula works for them.

At the end of the day, this is the 10.2 billion dollar franchise that everyone talks about. There are cameras pointed at them 24/7. People love to talk about the Cowboys. I mean the Cowboys aren’t even apart of the post-season this year, and the first story discussed on a playoff game pre-show was the Cowboys coaching search.

Every show on ESPN and NFL Network’s opening segment will be about the Cowboys…regardless of what other sports things have happened. That’s where Jerry wants to be.

Jerry Jones has talked about the ‘weight’ of carrying that Cowboys star. This job is not a typical head coaching job, it comes with a lot of extra addons. You will need to make yourself present multiple times a week for media availability. Expect cameras to be around the building, maybe filming a Netflix show or some news outlets. There will be fans in the building. Sometimes there are private events that rent out sections of the practice facility, making some areas unavailable to you, adapt and overcome it.

Jerry Jones wants someone he can trust to handle the weight of that star, and he also wants someone who is proven a winner. He also wants someone he doesn’t have to pay a lot, so the more desperate you are to be a Cowboy…the better.

I think the Cowboys coach for 2025 will check at least two of these four boxes:

• Former Cowboys Player/Coach
• NFL Head Coaching Experience
• Superbowl Winner
• A Close Relation To The Jones Family

The Deion Sanders Case

Almost immediately after the McCarthy news, Coach Prime’s name started floating around the job. Jordan Schultz reported that there are ‘talks’ between Jerry and Deion for the job.

Though he checks 3 of 4 boxes…

My instant reaction, I don’t think Deion will come here…and I don’t think Jerry actually wants him either.

But if they are talking…how could Jerry not want him?

I would like a definition on what talking actually means here…maybe when I see a formal interview setup, this can be a real discussion.

I think what we are seeing is the Mozart and Beethoven of getting the media talking at work together. Jerry wants the Cowboys to be discussed during the NFL Playoffs, and Deion wants the University of Colorado to see this and get worried, perhaps restructure his contract. The ‘talks’ benefit them.

Deion Sanders told ESPN today, “To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful and it’s intriguing,” Sanders Monday night. “I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder.”

He never denied the Cowboys job, but let Colorado know…I am yours to lose.

Okay it makes sense why Deion might stay, but why would Jerry not want him. For starters, there is a 10 million dollar buyout, so you’d have to pay twice for Deion, meanwhile that buyout already doubles the yearly check for McCarthy.

Jerry generally doesn’t pay a lot for coaches, you don’t get to 10 billion buy spending money people!

I think Jerry knows exactly what kind of personality he would be bringing in. He knows the demand Deion holds for media attention. If Deion Sanders became the Cowboys head coach, he would be the biggest star in sports.

Jesse Holley on DLLS Podcast made a great point on why Deion would never work in Dallas. The idea of Deion drawing more media attention than Jerry will cause this entire thing to blow up. After a game, all the cameras and reporters would want to talk to Deion. Right now Jerry gets a bigger crowd around him post-game compared to McCarthy. If Deion is here, that would no longer be the case. Jerry is no longer the draw, or the biggest star.

Sometimes players can be a bigger star but that’s different, because they wear the logo and Jerry can market it and sell it. But when it’s the head coach, then it’s a problem. The Cowboys won back to back Superbowls, but they credited Jimmy Johnson a little too much…and it became a problem.

Jerry Jones knows Deion Sanders would be a no-nonsense and outspoken coach, and Jerry loves him some Deion. But that comes with a price, Deion may be vocal about change and demand it. Things need to be done his way, but that kind of philosophy hasn’t panned out in Dallas long term.

I don’t think true change could even happen in this case. Deion in Dallas just brings too much with him and may hurt the football side of things more.

Plus this is all is without mentioning the QB situation. The Cowboys are not going to draft Shedeur Sanders and bench their 240 million dollar QB. Not gonna happen.

Tomorrow I will post about some more realistic coaching candidates for the Dallas Cowboys.