For the first time since 2020, the Dallas Cowboys are looking for a head coach. Mike McCarthy, having served his entire five-year contract, is free to pursue opportunities elsewhere. And the Cowboys, coming off their worst season in four years, are free to write the next chapter in their once-glorious history.
A disappointing 2024 season has put the Cowboys in emergency triage. They must not only heal the very real physical wounds of the team itself, but also the emotional wounds of Cowboys Nation. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the 2025 offseason presents a number of enticing coaching candidates. From young genius Ben Johnson in Detroit to headline-grabbing Deion Sanders in Colorado to quarterback Joe Brady in Buffalo, the options are plentiful and the landmines are everywhere.
But what happens if the best coaches don’t want to come to Dallas? What if they got better options elsewhere and preferred a drama-free existence to one eternally in the spotlight?
It is true that some aspects of the Cowboys can be considered negative. They have an intrusive owner who doubles as their general manager. They have frugal spending habits in free agency and media commitments that rival those of the President of the United States. Overall, they have more non-football elements than any other team in the NFL.
Still, for every negative, there are at least two positives, and when it comes down to it, coaching the Cowboys is a really appealing job.
Roster Talents
Perhaps the most attractive trait the Cowboys have to offer is the quality of their roster. Dak Prescott is one year away from being an MVP candidate and he’s locked and loaded for the next four years. CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are two of the best players in the NFL at their respective positions and are just entering their prime.
Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland are All-Pro cornerbacks in the secondary, Tyler Smith is an All-Pro offensive lineman and DeMarvion Overshown is a superstar on the point. The Cowboys roster has plenty of holes, but it’s loaded with talent ready to win right now.
The Cowboys have draft picks to play with, room to mass and prospects to develop. They may not have a QB on a rookie contract like some other teams can offer, but they have an instant contender coming off a down season. The improvement from last season is almost a lock.
Contribution project
Coaches seeking complete control over personnel need not apply, but those kinds of opportunities are rare, and the Cowboys offer a higher degree of coaching influence in the draft than most franchises. McCarthy himself noted the switch from Green Bay to Dallas, allowing him to have much more of a say in the war room than in previous stops.
Jones has the final say on personnel matters, but it’s a committee approach during draft weekend, with the front office making a concentrated effort to add the players the coaching staff wants. This is one of the most attractive draft environments a coaching candidate can ask for because, for better or worse, Cowboys coaches have a strong influence.
Patience at reception
Patience is a quiet quality of Jones’s but it is perhaps his most endearing. Jones doesn’t like to fire coaches and has proven repeatedly that he will let them pay out their entire contract, even if it’s clearly time to move on.
Coaches want the chance to install their system, build their staff and develop their roster. It takes time for a coach to get a team off the ground and on the right track and the Cowboys know it. While some teams may fire a coach a year or two into a regime, Jones will stay with his man until the end, provided the team doesn’t let go of the coach.
This is an extremely attractive trait of Dallas and one of the reasons why it was wise to let McCarthy play out his contract, even after it was clear he wasn’t coming back.
Exposure
The Cowboys are America’s team for a reason and it shows in the ratings every season. Love them or hate them, NFL fans love watching the Cowboys and the media has taken notice. Staying in the spotlight may be unappealing on the surface, but it has many side benefits that are hard to deny.
Always being in the news cycle means nationwide familiarity. This opens up long-term options for coaching and media opportunities. There’s a reason why sports networks are filled with former Cowboys players and coaches and it directly relates to their exposure gained in Dallas.
Earning possibilities
The Cowboys front office may not break the bank for a head coach, but the position comes with no state taxes and additional sponsorship opportunities. The star comes with money and the Cowboys coach gets more of both.
As a bonus, the work environment at The Star in Frisco is as good as it gets. Most will agree that the elite facilities and bargain accommodations make up for the occasional visit to the locker room from time to time.
Related articles
This article was originally published on Cowboys Wire: 5 reasons why the Cowboys are still a popular destination for coaches
