You'd be hard-pressed to find a Green Bay Packers fan who doesn't remember former head coach Mike McCarthy's time in America's Dairyland. After a brief run as a quarterbacks coach in 1999, McCarthy returned as the lead man on the sidelines and didn't look back, amassing a 125-77-2 record and a Super Bowl win in 13 seasons until his run ended in 2018.
After a five-year run as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, McCarthy has been in limbo ever since, waiting for his next opportunity. Interestingly enough, that could come in 2026, with the former Packers leader being someone the New York Giants are considering in their head coaching search, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.
Raanan adds that the job search, being conducted by Giants general manager Joe Schoen, has several other names on the candidates list, including current Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Mike McCarthy Is Emerging as a Potential Giants HC Candidate
The Giants are looking to turn things around after firing former HC Brian Daboll earlier this offseason, and clearly view McCarthy as someone who can help fix things. Even if the 62-year-old's time with the Cowboys ended with a pitiful 7-10 performance in 2024, he still had three straight 12-win seasons before that, and that's without mentioning his Super Bowl ring again.
On top of that, McCarthy could be the perfect coach to help develop Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. The ex-Packers coach played a huge role in Aaron Rodgers' becoming a multi-time NFL MVP, and he was crucial to Cowboys QB Dak Prescott finishing second in the 2023 MVP race. That isn't to say that Dart would reach that level next season, but McCarthy's presence could help him get there sooner rather than later.
The Giants also saw plenty of McCarthy during his time in Dallas, as he won nine of 10 games against them during that stretch. With a potential hiring, McCarthy could tell New York how he found that success, helping give Schoen a strong plan of attack for the offseason, both in terms of which players he adds and the coaches he signs.
It might not seem like it on paper, but McCarthy's potentially joining the Giants would also be a huge favor to the Packers. As previously mentioned, Hafley is also under consideration for the job. If McCarthy is hired, that leaves Green Bay's defensive coordinator with one less destination to bolt to this offseason, strengthening the chances that he'll be leading the defensive unit for at least one more season.
The McCarthy-Giants buzz is something that Packers fans will want to keep an eye on in the coming weeks. Not only could it lead to his career being revived, but it might also impact what Green Bay's coaching staff looks like next season, making it worth following as the Giants' offseason begins next week.