Mike McCarthy won’t be officially considered for the Chicago Bears job just yet.
The Dallas Cowboys denied the Bears’ request to interview McCarthy for their head coaching job on Tuesday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. While McCarthy’s status with the Cowboys is still uncertain, the team clearly isn’t ready to give up its negotiating window for him just yet.
Source ESPN: The Dallas Cowboys denied the Chicago Bears permission to interview their head coach Mike McCarthy.
—Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2025
McCarthy is under contract with the Cowboys through Jan. 14, which is when his initial five-year contract with the team expires. Until then, the Cowboys have exclusive negotiating rights with him. If they don’t reach a deal by then, the Bears (or any other team in the league) could opt to interview McCarthy.
So while this doesn’t rule out the idea of McCarthy leading Caleb Williams and the Bears next season, it does put it on hold for at least one more week.
McCarthy has spent the last five seasons with the Cowboys, where he compiled a 49-35 record. However, he won only one playoff game with the franchise and has spent the entire season training without a contract extension. The Cowboys were one of the biggest disappointments in the league this season, finishing 7-10 and missing the playoffs.
The Bears are looking for a replacement for Matt Eberflus, who they let go earlier this season.
This post will be updated with more information soon.