Mike McCarthy took a year off from coaching in 2025 after the Dallas Cowboys moved on from him, but many believe he will return to the sideline next season.
McCarthy drew interest for some head coach vacancies after his contract expired with the Cowboys this past offseason. That is expected to be the case again heading into 2026. On Thursday, Conor Orr published a feature that examines dozens of candidates NFL teams will consider as head coaches next season, and McCarthy is among them.
According to Orr, McCarthy is viewed by some people as “an early front-runner” for the Tennessee Titans head coach job.
McCarthy has a long history of developing and getting the most out of quarterbacks. The former Super Bowl champion has worked with an impressive list of QBs that includes Dak Prescott, Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Rich Gannon and Joe Montana. It is easy to see why the 62-year-old’s resume might appeal to the Titans, who want to set Cam Ward up for success as the No. 1 overall pick enters his second NFL season.
McCarthy was viewed as a finalist for one head coach job this season but withdrew from consideration, likely because he knew the team was going in a different direction.
In 18 seasons as an NFL head coach, McCarthy has a record of 174-112 in the regular season. He is 11-11 in the playoffs and won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2010. McCarthy should get plenty of interviews this offseason, and it is possible the Titans will make him a priority.
