The Dallas Cowboys entering the fray as a team with a need to hire a new head coach will impact the Chicago Bears one way or another.
From the top, the most obvious impact is that the Cowboys’ parting of ways with Mike McCarthy has cleared a path for the Bears to line up an interview with a candidate they wanted to chop it up with earlier but were denied. With that in mind, it is noteworthy that the Bears (1) are getting the first shot at interviewing McCarthy and (2) will do so at Halas Hall. McCarthy will join Ron Rivera as the first two coach candidates to interview in person for the position. I imagine there will be more on the way.
However, the Mike McCarthy factor isn’t the only thing tying the Bears and Cowboys together as both teams continue their respective searches for a new head coach.
Cowboys reportedly have interest in Bears head coach candidates
This update from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, which was shared before the Vikings-Rams playoff game, piqued my interest:
From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: The #Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy have parted ways. What now? pic.twitter.com/DPukeV18OL
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 14, 2025
From Rapoport:
“The Dallas Cowboys now need a new head coach for what I expect to be a very coveted opening. Among the names to keep an eye on: Kellen Moore, the Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator obviously was an OC and of course a player in Dallas. Has a great relationship with Dak Prescott. That would make a lot of sense. Kliff Kingsbury, a coveted candidate elsewhere. Pete Carroll, also a candidate in a couple of places to keep an eye on. Aaron Glenn played in Dallas. Obviously a hot candidate in several places. There’s just a couple of names early on to watch”
One area the Bears and Cowboys won’t have crossover is with Deion Sanders. But you probably already figured that out by now.
Save for the mentioning of Eagles Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore, everyone else who was name-checked in the video above featuring NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is also on the Bears’ list of candidates. For what it’s worth, Chicago has already successfully completed virtual interviews with Aaron Glenn and Pete Carroll. The team is also expected to interview with Kliff Kingsbury at some point this week. That Rap Sheet did *NOT* mention Ben Johnson feels telling. Maybe this is where the Bears can dodge a bullet.
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At this stage of the game, I would probably categorize Deion Sanders as the favorite to be Dallas’ next head coach, with Kellen Moore as the clear No. 2. Pete Carroll makes sense as a candidate because owner Jerry Jones is enamored with big, splashy names. Aaron Glenn checks the box of being a former Cowboys player. And while Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t have those ties, the Commanders OC has plenty of ties to Texas. So perhaps that fit makes sense as a down-ballot option. I’m looking forward to seeing who else in on Dallas’ radar.
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In the end, the Cowboys opening up their head coach position has led me to keep an eye on what is happening in Dallas. The Cowboys join the Bears, Jets, Saints, Jaguars, and Raiders as NFL teams with head-coaching vacancies at this moment. As of today, the Patriots are the only team that began the offseason with an opening to have hired a new coach. How long that lasts remains to be seen. Stay tuned.