Jerry Jones shocked the NFL when he hired Brian Schottenheimer to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, replacing Mike McCarthy, whose contract Jones opted not to renew. McCarthy's final year in Dallas was littered with bad injury luck,

The 12th-winningest head coach in NFL history will reportedly spend 2025 focusing on the 2026 hiring cycle. It’s a tactic he’s used before.

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will not be coaching in the NFL next season, opting to wait for the next coaching cycle.

So “Big Mike” lieutenant Brian Schottenheimer is the new Cowboys coach … while McCarthy is left sitting out a year until he gets another crack on the NFL Coach Carousel.

Jerry Jones said he decided to hire Brian Schottenheimer as Dallas' coach and sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a $240 million, four-year contract because the Cowboys are in a win-now mode and should be competing for Super Bowls.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is raving about new head coach Brian Schottenheimer's ability to put together a quality coaching staff, indicating he did not influence hires.

"Former Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has decided to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle and will not coach in the NFL this season, sources tell me and @RapSheet," Pelissero wrote on X. "McCarthy, who has made the playoffs 12 times in 18 seasons, is expected to be a strong candidate a year from now."