It looks like the former Cowboys coach will be following in the footsteps of previous high-profile sideline bosses, clearing the way for one of his protege.

Mike McCarthy has decided against coaching in 2025, removing himself as a candidate to fill the NFL’s last remaining head coaching vacancy with the New Orleans Saints

McCarthy, whose contract expired with the Cowboys and wasn't signed to an extension, will sit out the 2025 season, according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. McCarthy removed his name from consideration for the New Orleans Saints' vacancy. The Saints are the last team to have a head coaching job open this offseason.

Reports late Tuesday night surfaced that Mike McCarthy is no longer in consideration for the New Orleans Saints head coach vacancy. McCarthy, 61, had been the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for the last five seasons.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the former Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers headman removed himself from the New Orleans Saints head coaching race last night. McCarthy’s intentions will now be on the 2026 head coaching cycle.

Does anyone want to coach the New Orleans Saints? The former Dallas Cowboys coach decided he will focus on the 2026 hiring cycle, according a report from the NFL Network.

McCarthy is the third high-profile candidate to pull out of the Saints' search, joining Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Between the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys, Mike McCarthy has been coaching in the NFC for 18 years, and he's accrued a record of 174-112-2 in that time. Despite three consecutive 12-5 seasons in the middle of his tenure with the Cowboys, a 7-10 campaign in 2024 was all Jerry Jones needed to see before deciding to go in a different direction.

Cowboys and their stadium shut out of Super Bowls, Mavericks surviving without Luka Doncic, Texas Rangers' Spring in the air and pretending to be humbled, all in this week's DFW sports notebook.

With Kliff Kingsbury returning to the Washington Commanders and Mike McCarthy reportedly pulling his name out of contention for the New Orleans

Former head coach Mike McCarthy deciding to focus on the 2026 hiring cycle. Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne joins "The Insiders" to discuss playing in the Senior Bowl and the advice his brother, Jaguars running back Travis Etienne, has given him.