National Football League

Dallas Cowboys next head coach odds: Who will replace Mike McCarthy?

Updated Jan. 14, 2025 12:01 a.m. ET

The biggest coaching search in America is taking place in Big D.

The Dallas Cowboys parted ways with now-former head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday, meaning Jerry Jones is officially in the market for a signal-caller.

Who will land the gig as the new sideline maestro for America's Team?

Let's check out the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of Jan. 14.

Dallas Cowboys next head coach odds

Deion Sanders (CU HC): +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)
Kellen Moore (PHI OC): +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)
Kliff Kingsbury (WSH OC): +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Joe Brady (BUF OC): +550 (bet $10 to win $65 total)
Ben Johnson (DET OC): +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Liam Coen (TB OC): +750 (bet $10 to win $85 total)
Jason Witten (Former DAL TE): +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Jon Gruden (Former LV, TB HC): +950 (bet $10 to win $105 total)
Bill Belichick (UNC HC): +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)

Talk about a star-studded list.

At the top of the oddsboard is the biggest name in college football — well, arguably, in all of football — Deion Sanders.

Sanders is a Hall of Fame cornerback who won Super Bowl XXX with the Cowboys just a few short decades ago. He has spent the last two seasons as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, where he went 4-8 in 2023 and 9-4 in 2024, after CU went 1-11 in 2022.

FOX Sports NFL reporter Ralph Vacchiano had this to say about Sanders' candidacy for the highest-profile coaching job in American football:

"Though he doesn't always act like it with his business decisions, Jones is a showman at heart. He understands how to get attention and how to sell a product. And who knows about those things more than 'Coach Prime?' But Sanders has proven he's more than just glitz and publicity. He's a really good coach, too. He turned Jackson State into an FCS power, then turned Colorado into a bowl team. He's a master recruiter too, which could help at least a little bit in free agency.

"The lack of NFL coaching experience is irrelevant since he brings instant credibility as a Hall of Fame NFL player. He'd command respect and get the Cowboys to play hard. Prime Time would have them ready for prime time when the playoffs come around, too."

Mike McCarthy out as Dallas Cowboys head coach

Second and third on the oddsboard are two coaches from division rivals: Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, respectively.

Washington had the seventh-best offense in the league during the regular season, and Philly checked in at eighth. However, Philadelphia's Moore has close ties to the Dallas organization. He spent three seasons as a player in Dallas (2015-17), and then served as quarterbacks coach for the franchise in 2018, before rising to offensive coordinator from 2019-22.

In the midst of several other notable names on the oddsboard, of course, former Patriots coach Bill Belichick makes an appearance, despite having recently accepted the head coaching position at North Carolina.

Vacchiano had this to say of Belichick's candidacy:

"While Belichick maintains he's serious about his move to the college ranks, there's a reason the buyout in his contract is so relatively small ($10 million now, $1 million starting in June). There have already been reports that he's interested in the Raiders job, and before he became a Tar Heel, he called several NFL teams to see if they'd be interested in him. Those who know him swear the Cowboys are one of the teams he's been eyeing for several years. And there's no doubt that Jones, who once had Belichick's old boss Bill Parcells as his head coach, would be interested, too.

"It's been a while since Jones made a big, bold power move like this, but if anyone's going to get Belichick to abandon North Carolina after a month, Jones might be the most likely owner to do it."

Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!