Former Dallas Cowboys Quarterback and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman appeared on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown” earlier tonight and sounded off on the team’s offseason prognosis. He discussed a variety of topics including the team moving on from Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the attractiveness of the job to prospective candidates, and the outlook of the team.
Aikman had this to say on Owner Jerry Jones deciding to part ways with McCarthy earlier today, “I thought Mike McCarthy would be the head coach so this is a bit of a surprise for me today that he is not going to be…It suggests that there is not a real plan in the fact that they haven’t had the chance to maybe interview a Ben Johnson or some of these others…“
Aikman continued and said that Jones’ meddling could drive away the more high-profile candidates. With today’s news, Dallas will begin the search for its next head coach immediately. Who will coach the Dallas Cowboys for the 2025 season?
Dallas Cowboys’ Coaching Candidates
"I love the Dallas Cowboys. I played there for 12 years. I wish them well but to say that it's a coveted job I'm not sure I would necessarily agree with that."
Cowboys legend Troy Aikman does not think coaches are lining up to come to Dallas 😲 pic.twitter.com/FRC0jmSm5Q
— ESPN (@espn) January 14, 2025
Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson will be the top candidate for many head coaching openings, and the Dallas Cowboys will be no different. He has helped turn Detroit’s offense into one of the league’s best over the past two seasons. As Aikman mentioned, Dallas is behind other teams as it pertains to interviewing candidates since McCarthy had the job until today. Other teams with openings for head coaches began interviewing candidates last week.
Another candidate for the Cowboys is Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn. He has ties to the Dallas Cowboys playing defensive back for the team in 2005 and 2006. That familiarity with the franchise will surely ingratiate Glenn to Jerry Jones.
Jones will also make sure that Kellen Moore is a top candidate to be the Cowboys’ next head coach. He was on the team as a player and was the Offensive Coordinator for Dak Prescott from 2019-2022. Jones has also been enamored with Moore and may be open to making him the team’s next head coach. After leaving Dallas, Moore was the Offensive Coordinator for the Chargers(2023) and Philadelphia Eagles(2024.)
Final Thoughts
Aikman’s comments earlier today ring true and are also biting as they come from one of the best players in franchise history. The prestige of “America’s Team” does not match the reality of its roster. Dallas is saddled with an overpaid Prescott and a roster devoid of top-flight players.
The next coach of the Dallas Cowboys, whomever it may be, will have the third-best roster in the NFC East. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders have far superior rosters to the Cowboys. Hopefully, Jones takes Aikman’s comments to heart, which is far from a guarantee, and hires the correct coach to get the Cowboys back on track toward success.
