
After blocking head coach Mike McCarthy from talking with the Chicago Bears about their head coaching position so that the Dallas Cowboys could negotiate a new contract with McCarthy, the two sides split on Monday. There were conversations, there was interest, but the final details of what both sides wanted was a gulf too wide to bridge.
McCarthy is now a free agent head coach, and the Cowboys join the rest of the teams that are looking for their next leader.
They may not have to look long.
Deion Sanders, a former Cowboys cornerback, as well as former Atlanta Falcon, San Francisco 49er, Washington Redskin, and Baltimore Raven, is the betting favorite to be the next head coach in Dallas, paying even money at +100. Sanders has been the head coach at Colorado for the last two seasons, taking a one-win team the year before he arrived to nine wins and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl in just two years.
Not only is Sanders a former Cowboy, he’s loved by Cowboys fans and team owner Jerry Jones. When the Cowboys signed him as a free agent in 1995, the two did a Pizza Hut commercial together. Now, 30 years later, there might be a reunion.
“To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it’s intriguing,” said Sanders on Monday after hearing from Jones about the open Dallas head coaching position. “I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up and process it and think about it, it’s intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community.”
His Colorado team was special this year, with Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, as well as Deion’s son, Shedeur Sanders, who is the second-betting favorite to go No. 1 overall at April’s NFL Draft (+120). But those stars are gone in 2025, and this might be the perfect time for Sanders to move on to his next challenge. And Dallas does feel like the perfect fit for a coach who carries with him high expectations.
Other Betting Favorites
Kellen Moore (+250)
If it’s not Sanders, then Kellen Moore is who the bookmakers have named as the most likely new head coach in Dallas. He is the current offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles. But more important than that, he was a Cowboys quarterback for three years and their offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2022.
During those four years, the Cowboys ranked in the top five in points scored twice, including leading the league in 2021. With Moore as his offensive coordinator, Dak Prescott set his career-highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns. Moore was also the OC the last time Prescott and the Cowboys won a playoff game.
Kliff Kingsbury (+350)
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said that as much as wants to be a head coach again, he’s in no hurry to make it happen. He’s having too much fun coaching in Washington, and he’s still getting paid his head coaching buyout by the Arizona Cardinals. That, however, was said before the Cowboys job opened up.
Kingsbury was born in San Antonio, he played college football at Texas Tech, and he coached at Tech, Texas A&M, and the University of Houston. Dallas is the one part of the state that he doesn’t have a connection to… yet.
Joe Brady (+550)
Joe Burrow won a national championship at LSU when Joe Brady was the passing game coordinator. He’s now the offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills, and Josh Allen has the best chance in his seven-year career to win the MVP.
Pairing Brady with a top-tier quarterback leads to good things, and no doubt Jerry Jones and Dak Prescott know this.
Ben Johnson (+650)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson can’t do face-to-face interviews until after this weekend’s Divisional Round, and he can’t officially be hired until after the Super Bowl or the Lions are eliminated from the playoffs. Still, he is a hot commodity on the head coaching market, and he has completed virtual interviews for the open positions with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Las Vegas Raiders.
Steve Sarkisian (+750)
Under the guidance of head coach Steve Sarkisian, the Texas Longhorns are back to national prominence. Sark won 13 games with Texas this season, making it all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Cotton Bowl.
This was easily his best year as a head coach, and he’s had success as a quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator. At Alabama, he coached Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, and in 2020, he was named the nation’s top assistant coach.
Jason Witten (+850)
In November, Jerry Jones said on the radio that former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten could be an NFL head coach someday. He compared him to another former Cowboys tight end, Dan Campbell, now the head coach with the Lions.
Jones says a lot of things, so at the time, him touting a high school football coach as a future NFL head coach was largely ignored. Now that the position is open with the Cowboys, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is calling Witten a serious candidate.

With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.