Mike McCarthy’s possible replacement likely already working close by

Apr 4, 2023
47
4 mins read
Mike McCarthy

With the moves the Cowboys have made this offseason it’s clear that Dallas is in a “win this year” mode. Which means Mike McCarthy’s seat as head coach seat will be red hot before camp even opens.

He’ll be calling the offensive plays this year. He’s no longer shackled to the ghost of Jason Garrett’s offense. And this season, he has weapons on both sides of the ball.

Which means just one thing. Nothing less than playing in the NFC Championship game this season will save him.

Should the Cowboys come up short of that goal — or fail to even make the playoffs – McCarthy’s likely getting fired. But how far would the Cowboys have to look for his replacement?

Inside AT&T Stadium

They could simply look up in the coaches box where Dan Quinn calls the defensive plays. Quinn has won a Super Bowl as a defensive coordinator. He’s led a team to a Super Bowl as a head coach.

Why Dan Quinn Will Succeed This Year on Defense
TAMPA, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 09: Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on September 09, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

The Falcons’ collapse against the Patriots was not so much on Quinn’s defense. Rather, it was more the offense forgetting to come out and play 60 minutes of football.

Quinn clearly wants to coach in Dallas. From the sound of it, he probably could have taken his pick of any open head coaching slots over the offseason. He chose to stay with the Cowboys.

Perhaps he did so with the understanding that if McCarthy was let go, Quinn would be next in line. It would be the easiest move, and one the players would support.

Down the road

But, the Cowboys could think outside the box. Their next head coach could be less than a mile away, working his trade in Choctaw Stadium as we speak. There are two head coaches in the restarted XFL — based in Arlington where all eight teams return to after their games – that are noteworthy.

Both coaches could probably make the move from the XFL to the NFL if the call came. Would the Cowboys’ front office make that call? Who knows. But if they did, here are the likely candidates.

Bob Stoops is the head coach of the Arlington Renegades. He’s a former head coach at Oklahoma with a National Championship under his belt. He knows how to win and work with young players. His team is currently in the playoff hunt in the XFL.

Bob Stoops to Dallas XFL Team Doesn't Impact Jason Garrett

Stoops could bring in an offensive coordinator who could reinvigorate the Cowboys on that side of the ball. But the downside is he’s also an older coach. Does he have the energy for a 17-game NFL season and the playoffs?

The other option is Reggie Barlow, the head coach of the DC Defenders. His team boasts the best record in the XFL and has looked very solid in seven games.

He’s won a Super Bowl as a player, under Jon Gruden with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII. He’s won two Black College National Championships. He’s on track to win the XFL title this year.

In short, he’s a relatively young coach who knows how to win. He also knows how to relate to young players and get them to play winning football. If Quinn isn’t the choice, Barlow might be the best fit.

Around the NFL

The third option could be Dallas going shopping around the league. They’d be looking for an up-and-coming coordinator. Such a move would likely spell the end of Quinn as he’d probably move on to another job if the Cowboys passed him up.

The question would be who? It would almost have to be someone on offense. But is there anyone out there Dallas would pick over the options above?

Washington’s new offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, has won two Super Bowls in the position. But he has interviewed for, and been passed over for, a few head coaching jobs already. There must be something popping up in the interview process that is raising red flags for him not to have been hired by now.

After that, the pickings get a little slim. The only current offensive coordinator who might be worth looking at would be Cincinnati’s Brian Callahan. Would the Cowboys be able to lure him away from a team that is already in position to win championships?

Of course, McCarthy could put all of this to rest by simply making it past the divisional round of the playoff in January. If he doesn’t though, his potential replacements will be eyeing the throne like a Lannister arriving in Kings Landing for the first time.

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli

Richard Paolinelli is an award-winning sports journalist with 34 years of professional newsroom experience. His newspaper career (1991–2011) includes the Gallup Independent, Modesto Bee, Gustine Press-Standard, Turlock Journal, Merced Sun-Star, Tracy Press, Patch, and San Francisco Examiner. He received the 2001 California Newspaper Publishers Association Best Sports Story award. Richard has authored two non-fiction sports books and 11 novels. At InsideTheStar.com, he has published 874 articles reaching over 728,000 readers.

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lonewolfz28
lonewolfz28
Apr 4, 2023 2:18 PM

The “All Access” nature of the XFL has not been kind to Bob Stoops. Watching and listening to him making decisions on the sideline leaves a lot to be desired. And this is coming from a 40+ year Sooners fan. Put it this way, Wade Phillips looks like a competent head coach compared to Stoops, and we all know Phillips’ ceiling is as a DC in the NFL. The only XFL coach that looks more out of his depth as a Head Coach and makes worse in-game decisions is Terrell Buckley.

Mila Marie
Mila Marie
Apr 4, 2023 10:46 PM

Oh my goodness!!!

George Jackson
George Jackson
Apr 5, 2023 2:52 AM

Would that be dan quinn? You can’t be no more obvious than that.

Percetia West
Percetia West
Apr 5, 2023 11:31 AM

Super Bowl Bound

VAM
VAM
Apr 5, 2023 10:13 AM

Wow the season hasn’t even started yet and we’re talking replacements? Well start the merry go round, and avoid the main problem with this team. HC can call plays, but can’t actually execute them on the field, right.

Walter Conkright
Walter Conkright
Apr 7, 2023 3:29 AM

Dan Quinn is the replacement to Mike McCarthy

Eddie Garcia
Eddie Garcia
Apr 7, 2023 12:29 PM

Hopefully

Frank Favel
Frank Favel
Apr 7, 2023 2:43 PM

Isnt Dan Quinn the one that lost the biggest comeback in SB history with Atlanta , take a good look at the real problem if they don’t get deep in Playoffs, could be the coddled QB …yes

Mark Duggan
Mark Duggan
Apr 7, 2023 9:09 PM
Reply to  Frank Favel

Frank Favel. You’re a fucking moron

Jim Barger
Jim Barger
Apr 7, 2023 3:07 PM

A NEW SOCK Puppet after this year and yes, it’s Quinn..

Tate Thompson
Tate Thompson
Apr 7, 2023 3:35 PM

12-5 two years. It would have to be a 3 win season. Took how long to rid of Garrett. And look how much they got better. Just my opinion

LidnSal Loredo
LidnSal Loredo
Apr 8, 2023 4:00 AM
Reply to  Tate Thompson

Tate Thompson
JJ loves his boys no matter what
He’s a glotten for punishment

David Banta
David Banta
Apr 7, 2023 3:45 PM

Click bait stop

Rob Mele
Rob Mele
Apr 7, 2023 3:51 PM

Maybe it might be the owner Jones he always sticking his nose like he’s what the NFL needs he should just put some shorts and a bra and join the Cheerleaders instead than again he’s one sorry ugly asshole the cheerleaders might run away from Dallas and get on a Greyhound bus and come here to New York and seek Asylum Yuck Yuck Yuck Certainly

Paul Junior Boyne
Paul Junior Boyne
Apr 7, 2023 5:59 PM

Dak is a Bum

Lance Guillot
Lance Guillot
Apr 7, 2023 8:29 PM

Why don’t Jerry Jones stay out of the coaches and players .A real pain .

Mark Duggan
Mark Duggan
Apr 7, 2023 9:09 PM
Reply to  Lance Guillot

Lance Guillot …no. the real pain is idiots like you who keep believing the lies the media has told for year’s…jfcsmfh you’re a moron

Lance Guillot
Lance Guillot
Apr 7, 2023 9:12 PM
Reply to  Lance Guillot

Mark Duggan no dumb ass , you are the moron , idiot.

Mark Duggan
Mark Duggan
Apr 7, 2023 9:08 PM

Whoever comes up with this bullshit is fucking pathetic…McCarthy is in NO danger of being replaced….anyone who thinks he needs to go is a fucking moron.

David Michael Swartz
David Michael Swartz
Apr 7, 2023 10:10 PM

Dak is the one that should be on the hot seat

John Fornito
John Fornito
Apr 8, 2023 12:09 AM

He’s the chef at the all you can eat buffet!!

Jim Kennedy
Jim Kennedy
Apr 8, 2023 1:54 AM

Why dwell on this. He wins he stays regardless of the playoffs.

John Patchoski Sr
John Patchoski Sr
Apr 8, 2023 2:37 AM

If they are so dedicated to winning why don’t they hire a GM?

Ernest Quiroga
Ernest Quiroga
Apr 8, 2023 5:19 AM

Jerry Jones is the problem.

Eli Corrigan
Eli Corrigan
Apr 8, 2023 6:46 AM

Better be DQ

George Setka
George Setka
Apr 8, 2023 8:54 AM

When everything around us today has been hijacked, weaponized and politicized by the Treasonous, Communist Democrat, Anti-American Party including our Media repeating for verbatim everyday words directly from the DNC! Our School System feminizing our MEN, promoting the DNC’s LGBT community, pushing five-year-olds to become GAY, turning five-year-old Johnny into SUE, injecting them with gender altering drugs, taking our children to Drag Queen Shows! Our corporations telling their employees to inject their POISON or lose their jobs and livelihood’s, to them pushing the Democrats Transgender creation not from GOD!!! To their FBI BUSTED by Elon Musk no longer protecting our People but weaponized to take out the DNC’s political enemies or anyone with power to expose them! They mass murder God’s Children through the DNC’s plan parenthood’s selling their body parts in the open market for PROFIT only ever seen in Nazi Germany! The DNC U.S Military now funds Drag Queen Hour for kids! Biden just gave, The International Women of Courage award” to a Biological MAN!!! Biden just proclaimed March 30th Transgender day of visibility, are you all this evil, Godless and soulless to embrace their new version of Sodom and Gomorrah here in America today? The treasonous DNC opened our border wide open and millions of illegal criminals have invaded America, where Fentanyl overdoses became the number one cause of deaths here in America today! All coming from your friends in the Mexican Cartels and CHINA but all you care about is your DNC hijacked, politicized sports, they have to be laughing about how weak, passive, complicit you truly are!

Remember these sell-outs are getting paid Millions by those seeking our demise will never come out and tell you the truth about what’s really taking place, they’re God and souls have been silenced by large amounts of CASH!!! Russian Hockey players on the Democrat’s evil Transgender push said, “We’re Christians and this goes against Russia, if we embraced this evil we wouldn’t be allowed to show our faces in Russia again!” The International Hockey Championship is one BIG Democrat Propaganda piece, also pushing the Democrat Transgender BS, where Russia is not allowed to play due to the fact that they’re Christian and it goes against their beliefs, so it turned into a BIG LIE crowning someone world champions when they didn’t complete with the BEST!!!

All our SPORTS hijacked and politicized by ONE treasonous, evil party in Washington pushing the creation of their Transgender Race, Gay pride, the use of race baiting and divide and conquer tactics to have us hating and fighting each other because a God-Fearing, UNITED NATION is all that they fear today. Our NBA told their fans that their loyalty was to Cash, China, the globalist world not America and our People who made them who they are! Their hijacking of politicized NASCAR who chooses Democrat Wokeness over their traditional fans! Then there was Kwanzaa, the black nationalist holiday may only be celebrated by half a million people, yet NASCAR’s fan base is 75 percent white and just nine percent black. The DNC hijacked our NHL, where Christian Brothers Eric and Marc Staal, were only a few God-fearing, Americans who just refused to wear their Democrat Pride Jersey pushing the DNC’s creation of the Transgender Race, the number one group in America today committing suicide today! The treasonous DNC got away with hijacking MLB, as we just watched them moved their ALL-STAR game out of Atlanta for their political masters in the DNC in treasonous Washington!

The criminal DNC hijacked our NFL now using the DNC’s Communist, Marxist BLM, domestic terrorist regime as their political mouth piece! Their woke MOB was allowed to change the REDSKINS name without one flag of discontent waved! Their DNC’s Transgender and Gay Pride promotions! Their lying, “End Racism” DNC BS, then turning around promoting, “The First Two Black Quarterback’s to play in a Super Bowl” and they sing the Black National Anthem only to further divide our Nation! They feminized the NFL turning it into a girly girl, cream puff, non-impact, no more hitting, flag throwing, pansy sport! Turning our TV’s PINK, women refs, women coaches, women fly overs and soon, women players, when the sport is already two hand touch football. the DNC’s hijacking of our U.S Teams, especially Women’s Soccer who no longer represents America or our People around the world! Then we watched all you traitors to God and Country without no pride, honor, loyalty or patriotism not only watch, but support and fund the demise of America! Sadly, you have our Forefathers and the young MEN who died for your FREEDOM, you easily have given away today to a tyrannical, communist, dictatorship, all rolling in their graves today! All because you’re so unwillingly to do your DUTY for God and Country, refusing to do the things in your power to save America and secure our Children a FREE NATION to grow up in for their future!

Lewis E Raney
Lewis E Raney
Apr 8, 2023 1:03 PM

Michael Williams no doubt

Alan Millico
Alan Millico
Apr 8, 2023 1:23 PM

Time for a change

John Ross
John Ross
Apr 8, 2023 1:48 PM

Propaganda. Keep giving Jerry your money

Leonard Trevino
Leonard Trevino
Apr 8, 2023 1:56 PM

❤️⭐️

Rusty Yates
Rusty Yates
Apr 8, 2023 1:57 PM

We can only pray ……..!
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Charles Carmack
Charles Carmack
Apr 8, 2023 4:23 PM

Start with the first problem
The Quarterback

Tony Garofalo
Tony Garofalo
Apr 8, 2023 6:16 PM

dan quinn would be a great head coach for dallas and if you dont have anything positive to say about dak shut up

Billy Parker
Billy Parker
Apr 8, 2023 9:18 PM

Just do it now. Dan will have to agree to be a puppet.

JL Green
JL Green
Apr 8, 2023 9:28 PM

Mike McCarthy isn’t cowboys problem.

Tim Kelley
Tim Kelley
Apr 8, 2023 11:43 PM

Most likely because Jerry likes to hire assistant coaches because they are cheap and he can control them. Not one of them can make a playoff team

Harold Buzick
Harold Buzick
Apr 9, 2023 4:43 AM

Stop… just stop… lamé article

Russ Thalman
Russ Thalman
Apr 9, 2023 6:32 PM

Didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. With Quinn staying in Dallas the past few years, the writing is on the wall.

Brandon N Merrill Craft
Brandon N Merrill Craft
Apr 9, 2023 7:07 PM

He’ll be promoted moving from the Defensive Coordinator position after Dak gets McCarthy fired this year.

Joe Langston
Joe Langston
Apr 9, 2023 8:22 PM

Brandon N Merrill Craft Dak gets McCarthy fired? If McCarthy was such a great Coach Dak would be a super bowl QB already. But he is not and Dak is not a super bowl caliber QB. So the Jones have decided to waste another year on both hoping Dan Quins defense can save them all pathetic.

Joe Langston
Joe Langston
Apr 9, 2023 8:19 PM

Wasting time has become the Jones playbook. Dan Quinn deserves the job hands down. Poor Mike needs to get into the gym and worry about himself. How can you Coach a professional football team but you can’t even reach down to pic football up off the ground. Mike is nothing but a mouth peice knows how to say all the right things much like his boss Jerry Jones. They are nothing but used car sales men who tell you what you wanna hear.

Scott Dennis
Scott Dennis
Apr 9, 2023 9:55 PM

Nobody is in the hot seat. That doesn’t mean that someone couldn’t get themselves put in one by screwing up. But not one person is in the hot seat right now.

Amparo Arvizu
Amparo Arvizu
Apr 10, 2023 12:43 AM

FUNNY! Will win nothing with Dak at the helm

Red Corron
Red Corron
Apr 10, 2023 12:59 PM

Wish it was Romo

Ricky Leboeuf
Ricky Leboeuf
Apr 10, 2023 1:20 PM

Replace him and Jerry Jones

DonSheila Corbin
DonSheila Corbin
Apr 10, 2023 11:22 PM

SUPER BOWL OR BUST!!! Does that amply to the head office as well?? When JERRY makes the decisions…he’s gotta take action when it goes bust…that could be the worse resignation letter in history!!!!

Rick Mayhew
Rick Mayhew
Apr 11, 2023 2:33 AM

Man….we coulda had Sean Payton.

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