The Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys will go head-to-head on Sunday night, but while everyone is enamored over potential revenge games for star pass rusher Micah Parsons and defensive tackle Kenny Clark's first game against his old team, there’s another figure with ties to both franchises who's garnering Week 4 headliens of his own.
Former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy had his first public interview since the Cowboys decided to move on from him after five seasons on Friday, coincidentally, before his two former teams go to blows on Sunday Night Football. While his interview gave an interesting spin on the Parsons trade, it was also revealed that he is preparing to coach in 2026 after taking this year off.
“NFL schedules are regimented and McCarthy has maintained that structure even during his period of transition,” David Moore wrote in the piece for D Magazine. “He believes it’s critical to stay in that mode, to stay prepared for his return to the game next year. ‘I’m preparing to coach again in 2026,’ McCarthy says matter-of-factly.”
Ex-Packers HC Mike McCarthy Could Be NFL’s Top Coaching Free Agent in 2026
If McCarthy returns to the sideline, it would follow the same path he took after he was fired by the Packers in 2018. McCarthy went 125-77-2 during his 13 seasons, and ranks first in Green Bay history with 10 playoff wins, while his regular-season wins only trail Curly Lambeau (209). His .618 winning percentage ranks fifth in franchise history, and his Super Bowl ring makes him an attractive candidate for the Cowboys.
After a 6-10 start in Dallas, though, McCarthy rebounded to guide the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons. Much to his dismay, he went just 1-3 in the playoffs and parted ways after a 7-10 campaign in 2024. Still, a combined record of 49-35 (.583) and a pair of division titles showed McCarthy isn’t washed, and it could entice a team looking to win now a chance to land a former Super Bowl winner.
Besides, it goes without saying that Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones isn't exactly a coach's best friend unless they're willing to say 'yes' a lot.
Perhaps a team like the New York Giants will part ways with HC Brian Daboll to hire McCarthy to work with first-round pick Jaxson Dart. Maybe the Atlanta Falcons fire Raheem Morris, and McCarthy is brought in to lead a team with a promising young nucleus that includes quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals could all be intriguing landing spots, giving McCarthy plenty of options to choose from.
In the end, it doesn’t appear that how things ended in Dallas will stop McCarthy from getting back on the sidelines. And this season’s events could determine where the former Packer will end up.