Jerry Jones Needs A Secret Weapon Hire Like Deion Sanders To Overcome Mistake Of Current Hiring Cycle

The professional divorce between Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy has been submitted for its autopsy, and that work is being done by reporters throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex now.

But the exercise, whichever direction it leads, has to start with the fact that Jones has hurt himself. And his football team.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shocked "Landman" viewers with an unexpected cameo. Watch the scene. Check out reactions. (Credit: Getty Images)

Jones Needs Splash Like Deion Sanders

It must be acknowledged that barring some trick up his sleeve, where he's been stashing a secret weapon coach hire like Deion Sanders or Mike Tomlin (in trade), Jones put himself and his team at a significant disadvantage this NFL hiring cycle.

And how did Jones do that? 

The Cowboys played the final game of their season on Jan. 5. And over the ensuing eight days, while three other teams fired their head coaches, six teams began or continued interviews for new coaches, and the New England Patriots hired their new coach, Jones did nothing.

Well, Jones wouldn't stipulate he did nothing. 

Jones Spent Time Meeting McCarthy

Jones met with McCarthy multiple times while other teams were meeting coach candidates. Jones and McCarthy conducted "a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players, staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team."

Jones said the discussions "were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth."

And after all that time, the decision that a majority of Cowboys fans expected happened: McCarthy is out.

McCarthy was on the hot seat when the season began for underperforming in past playoff games and, somehow, after a disappointing 7-10 season that didn't even include a playoff appearance, Jones needed days and days and days to figure out what to do.

Jones wasted eight days figuring out the guy he probably should have fired after the 2023 season shouldn't get a contract extension after the 2024 season.   

McCarthy Contract Served As Deadline

And by calculating and recalculating before making a decision when forced to by a deadline – McCarthy's expiring contract – Jones hurt his club in multiple ways.

The most obvious mistake? The Cowboys could be throwing a Hail Mary with Sanders that most likely will land incomplete. And they aren't in position to hire Bill Belichick because the former New England Patriots coach is now the University of North Carolina coach.

Belichick, as has been reported at OutKick and elsewhere, put out feelers around the NFL to gauge potential interest in him for the looming hiring cycle.

But when he didn't get the kind of tangible interest or even wink-and-a-nod suggestions of possible interest, Belichick went with the offer to coach the Tar Heels. 

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 12: Head Coach Bill Belichick of the North Carolina Tar Heels speaks to the media during a press conference on December 12, 2024 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Bill Belichick Would Have Been Interested

The problem, you see, is that the Cowboys were among the teams Belichick's confidants tried to feel out about a possible opportunity. Belichick is familiar with Jones and respects him. But Jones never gave the Belichick people an indication he'd be leaning toward moving on from McCarthy.

Belichick didn't know that the Cowboys would have an opening if he'd waited. 

The Cowboys' job, by the way, is one Belichick would have coveted, according to a source familiar with the coach's thinking.

And it might be fair to think Jones simply didn't know if he'd part ways with McCarthy or not in the weeks following Belichick reaching out through back channels. Fair.

But it's also fair to believe Jones should have known his own mind weeks ago even as speculation of McCarthy's dismissal was rampant among people not actually living inside Jones's head. 

And it gets worse. 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 22: Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson of the Detroit Lions looks on before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on December 22, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Cowboys Missed Early Interview Window

While Jones waited a week to move on from McCarthy, he missed the NFL-mandated window to request permission and interview candidates on a playoff bye. So Jones wasn't able to interview, say, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who did interview with four other teams.

Now, if Jones wants to interview Johnson or perhaps Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, he has to wait for their teams to be eliminated from the playoffs. 

Johnson, perhaps the hottest available NFL candidate now that Mike Vrabel has been hired by the Patriots, has interviewed with the Patriots, Jaguars, Raiders, and Bears. Spagnuolo interviewed with the Jets and Jaguars.

So the Cowboys are behind their competition.

And the only way they can catch up might be by sailing a Hail Mary at Deion Sanders or perhaps with Tomlin.