The Dallas Cowboys’ persistent pursuit of playoff success will continue under new leadership next season.
Head coach Mike McCarthy’s tenure with the team has officially ended after management and McCarthy failed to reach an agreement on the length of a potential contract extension.
The Cowboys, now embarking on the search for their 10th head coach, have already ignited widespread speculation about who might fill the role – potentially even an all-time great.
One intriguing name floating in discussions is Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach who recently accepted the head coaching job at the University of North Carolina.
FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared an eye-opening revelation, suggesting that timing may have played a critical role in shaping Belichick’s current career path.
“{For what it’s worth}: Bill Belichick would have been interested in the Cowboys’ job, and it’s believed that Dallas would have been interested in him, had he known the position would become available,” Schultz stated.
“Belichick and his camp never received any indication during backchannel conversations that the job would open up, which is partly why he ended up at UNC. Belichick has an excellent relationship with the Jones family.”
Belichick’s move to UNC was a surprise in itself, and while no formal reports suggest the Cowboys are actively pursuing him, Schultz’s statement has certainly added fuel to the speculation.
Should Cowboys owner Jerry Jones decide to target Belichick, he would face a friendlier-than-expected financial hurdle.
Belichick’s buyout clause at UNC currently stands at $10 million but will decrease to $1 million if Dallas waits until June 1 to make an offer. (Of course, that would be an unrealistic amount of time to wait.)
The bigger question is whether Belichick is willing to leave his budding project in Chapel Hill, where he has already begun assembling a coaching staff and recruiting players.
Belichick’s son, Steve Belichick, has also joined him at UNC, further tying the legendary coach to his new role.
However, Schultz’s report and the incomplete state of Belichick’s coaching staff at North Carolina have left some wondering if a return to the NFL could still be on the table.
For now, there are no confirmed attempts by Jones to lure Belichick away from UNC.
Michael Lombardi, North Carolina’s new football general manager, has publicly denied the idea that Belichick might jump back to the NFL.
Still, the appeal of restoring the Cowboys’ reputation as a Super Bowl contender could prove irresistible for a coach like Belichick, whose resume is unparalleled in modern football history.
The NFL all-time wins record is also well within reach should he decide to return to the league.
For now, much of the conversation surrounding the Cowboys job is focused on Deion Sanders and Kellen Moore.
Having said that, can you see Jones ultimately luring Belichick to Dallas when it’s all said and done???
