Report: Cowboys, McCarthy to begin contract talks before deal expires

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and owner Jerry Jones are expected to begin contract talks Friday, sources told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

Jones and McCarthy are open to moving forward together but no negotiations have occurred yet, Pelissero added. McCarthy's contract will expire on Tuesday, and he and almost all of his assistant coaches would be free to interview with other teams if a new deal isn't reached.

McCarthy has been with the Cowboys since January 2020 and has posted a 49-35 record alongside a 1-3 playoff record over that span. He joined the organization after the Green Bay Packers fired him in 2018.

Dallas blocked the Chicago Bears from interviewing its bench boss this past Tuesday. Jones said Sunday that McCarthy could interview anywhere, but doing so would lessen his chances of returning to the Cowboys.

The Bears can interview McCarthy if his contract isn't renewed by Tuesday.

The Cowboys posted a 7-10 record this year and finished third in the NFC East. They missed the playoffs for the first time since McCarthy's inaugural season in Dallas.