Mike McCarthy is leaving his position as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys after failing to agree to a new contract with the team, according to reports.
McCarthy was expected to remain through the 2025 season and talks with Jerry Jones were underway, but he is now reported to have failed to come to an agreement on terms.
According to NFL Network Tom PelisseroMcCarthy is now out after the two sides failed to agree on the length of the contract, and the head coach will now pursue other opportunities elsewhere.
The shocking news comes just days after McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones looked to the future and “remained open” to working together.
McCarthy's current contract is set to expire Tuesday, and Jones did not immediately commit to him for 2025 after a 7-10 season in which the Cowboys missed the playoffs.
Dallas had previously rejected the Chicago Bears' request to interview McCarthy for their vacant head coaching position, and he is now expected to speak with them in the coming days.
The New Orleans Saints are also likely interested in McCarthy, with him tipped to return as head coach in 2025.
McCarthy went 49-35 in five seasons with Dallas and never reached the NFC Championship game in that span.
However, he was hampered by injuries to star quarterback Dak Prescott for long stretches in two separate seasons, as the quarterback played in just eight games this year after suffering a hamstring injury that ended his career. season.
McCarthy, who previously led the Packers to a Super Bowl victory, led the Cowboys to a 12-5 record last year (before his team was defeated 48-32 at home in the wild-card round by Green Bay).
When asked earlier this week to make his case to remain as Cowboys coach, McCarthy called himself a “winner.”
“I don't like to talk about myself that way, but I'll be clear: I'm a winner,” he told reporters. 'I know how to win. I have won a championship. I won a championship in this building. And that's what I am. We'll see where it goes.
According to the team's official website, his 59 percent winning percentage with Dallas is fourth in team history among head coaches.