There’s no guarantee Mike McCarthy will return to the sidelines for the 2026 NFL season, but if he does, it sounds like there’s a job he’s eying.
The Dallas Cowboys decided to move on from McCarthy at the end of the 2024 season. The belief was he’d get another year since he owned a 49-35 record with “America’s Team.” At the end of the day though, Jerry Jones decided to go with a younger option at head coach in Brian Schottenheimer.
Advertisement
McCarthy discussed his fallout with the Cowboys on “The Pat McAfee Show” this Thursday. He also offered his thoughts on a promising young quarterback who’s in need of a new coach.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JANUARY 14: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys watches action during the first half of the NFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on January 14, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images
McCarthy raved about New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. The Super Bowl champion believes the Ole Miss product does certain things you can’t teach.
“I love the way he plays, because when I evaluate quarterbacks, you look at the in-the-pocket ability versus the out-of-pocket. What he does naturally you can’t teach,” McCarthy said. “His ability to make plays with his feet, whether it’s stepping up in the A or B gap and coming out off the movement stuff. Just the fact they run him on so many designed quarterback runs tells you what the coaching staff thinks of him.”
Advertisement
This might seem like nothing, but fans are convinced McCarthy is dropping hints that he wants to coach the Giants. And for what it’s worth, Dart is absolutely the No. 1 selling point for their job vacancy.
Should the Giants hire McCarthy?
After a 2-8 start to the season, the Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll. They haven’t improved under interim coach Mike Kafka, dropping three straight games.
The Giants have made the playoffs just once since 2017. It’s time for this proud franchise to get back on track and be a contender in the NFC East.
Advertisement
If the Giants want to get back to being a consistent winner, McCarthy would be a great option. Although he failed to reach the NFC Championship with the Cowboys, he managed to have a 12-5 record in three consecutive seasons.
The Tennessee Titans might also express interest in McCarthy this offseason, but their job isn’t as attractive as New York’s.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Dec 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.