Former Green Bay Packers Rival Head Coach to Retire from the NFL
Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy probably did not get the ending with the Dallas Cowboys that he deserved. Sure, his team went 7-10 and missed the NFL Playoffs, but he did have three consecutive 12-5 seasons prior to 2024 and his lackluster roster constructed by team owner Jerry Jones was riddled with injuries.
While his 1-3 record in the postseason was likely enough to result in him not getting a contract extension with Dallas, the way the Cowboys went about the weeks following the end of the regular season was not fair to their now former head coach.
After the Chicago Bears requested permission to interview McCarthy for their head coaching job, the Cowboys declined. It was not until a day before his contract was set to expire that they announced their decision not to bring him back next year.
Former Green Bay Packers Head Coach Mike McCarthy Was Replaced by His Own Offensive Coordinator
Perhaps it was time for McCarthy to move on from Dallas, and for the Cowboys to find a new voice. The problem, however, is that instead of finding someone fresh, they hired McCarthy’s offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.
As Packers fans know, McCarthy is an offensive-minded coach and calls his own plays during games. Schottenheimer, despite being the offensive coordinator, did not manage the game like play-callers do.
Furthermore, he has been an assistant coach in the NFL for over two decades. While the Cowboys may think they see something in him that others do not, the fact that it is a confusing hire cannot be denied.
As for McCarthy, he is in the running for the New Orleans Saints head coaching job, the last open head coach position in the NFL this year.
When Dan Quinn left the Cowboys following the 2023 season to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders, McCarthy called up his old rival from the NFC North, former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, to take his place.
Zimmer served as Dallas’ defensive coordinator in 2024, which was his second stint with the team. He previously was on their coaching staff from 1994-2006.
In 2007, Zimmer became the defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, and then held the same role with the Cincinnati Bengals from 2008-2013.
Packers fans will remember him best, though, as the head coach of Vikings, a position he held from 2014-2021. During his tenure, Green Bay and Minnesota had many tough matchups, with the Packers having a slight 8-7-1 edge over the Vikings during that time.
