As the NFL coaching carousel begins to whirl into motion, there is plenty of interest in where Bill Belichick may end up. With seven teams currently without a head coach (in addition to the New England Patriots,) the Hoodie will surely draw plenty of attention. But is his fate tied to Mike McCarthy and how the Dallas Cowboys fare over the next few weeks?
It's conceivable that a playoff team will part ways with its head coach, after all. Is Belichick eying how far McCarthy and the Cowboys advance, anticipating that the Dallas job might open up? That is one scenario that was floated on Sunday by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
It's believed that Belichick and some of his former assistant coaches are watching for such a scenario, and many around the NFL believe that if there is one team more likely to split with its coach after a playoff loss, it's the Cowboys.
Cowboys a perfect fit for Belichick?
To be sure, it would take a loss on the “dramatic and horrific” scale for McCarthy to earn a pink slip from Jerry Jones. The former Green Bay Packers leader just wrapped up his third straight 12-win season in Dallas, and his second NFC East title in three seasons.
The Cowboys' playoff runs have been less successful under McCarthy, however. In 2021, they were one-and-done at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. Last season brought a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Wild Card weekend, but another meeting with the 49ers ended in another Dallas loss.
While owner Jerry Jones has exhibited patience with coaches in the past, if the Cowboys crash out of the playoffs early, he might be compelled to make a change. Jones won't want another season of Dak Prescott at his peak going to waste, and if he thinks Belichick can put this talented roster over the edge, he'd be foolish not to pursue the Hall of Fame bound coach.
For Belichick, landing on a team with a ready-made top defense and a quarterback operating at a high level would be an ideal opportunity to continue chasing Don Shula's win record.
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