National Football League

Could the Cowboys move on from Mike McCarthy in favor of Dan Quinn?

Published Jan. 25, 2022 6:05 p.m. ET

The NFL offseason hasn't started yet, but the coaching carousel is in full swing.

And since the Dallas Cowboys just suffered a disappointingly early playoff exit, they might be joining the carousel soon.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is still under contract for three more seasons, but there has been noise surrounding the future of the coach in Dallas, as well as questions around a possible successor.

One of the names to come up is Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Quinn is currently one of the hottest names on the coaching market due in part to how he turned around the Cowboys' defense this season. He has interviewed for head coach openings with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, and is reportedly a finalist in Chicago. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins have also reportedly expressed interest in interviewing Quinn.

On Tuesday's airing of "Undisputed," Skip Bayless argued that the Cowboys should promote Quinn to head coach over McCarthy, rather than see him go elsewhere.

"Right now, would I take Dan Quinn over Mike McCarthy? You better believe it, in a heartbeat I would," Bayless said.

Skip Bayless: Cowboys should keep Dan Quinn

There has been speculation that Jerry Jones could offer Dan Quinn the head coach position to prevent his defensive coordinator from taking another job elsewhere.

If the Cowboys were to promote Quinn to the head coaching position, it would be for good reason.

During the 2020 season, the Cowboys fielded one of the worst defenses in franchise history, ranking 28th in scoring defense (29.6 PPG), 23rd in yards allowed per game (386.4), 31st in rushing yards allowed per game (158.8) and 20th in sacks (31).

With Quinn aboard as the defensive coordinator in 2021, the Cowboys' defense soared, ranking seventh in scoring defense (21.1 PPG), 13th in sacks (41), and first in both takeaways (34) and interceptions (26).

But even with Quinn being a godsend for the Cowboys this season, Shannon Sharpe doesn't think he would be wise to take Dallas' head coach position if it was offered. Due to the overpowering presence of Jerry Jones as the owner, Sharpe believes Quinn's role would be limited even as head coach.

"If I'm Dan Quinn, do I really want this job?" Sharpe asked. "Tell me what exactly is my job as a head coach? Stand on the sideline, I've got no say in the final 53-man roster, I got no say in free agency, I got no say in the draft. I just happen to be the coach of the Dallas Cowboys."

The Cowboys have time on their hands to make a coaching decision, but it's best to work fast with an ever-shrinking coaching market. And with Quinn being a hot commodity, they might have to move fast if they want to keep him.