Cowboys Next Head Coach Odds: Who Will Be Mike McCarthy’s Successor?

As the NFL postseason hits the Division Round, the Dallas Cowboys are still trying to figure out who will be their next head coach.

The Cowboys announced earlier this week that Mike McCarthy will not be returning for the 2025 campaign. The 61-year-old coach led America’s Team to a 49-35 record with three playoff appearances across the last five seasons, however, a 1-3 postseason record combined with a tumultuous 2024 performance led to Dallas hitting the reset button this winter.

So, who will be behind the Cowboys’ bench this fall? Will it be a battle-proven bench boss who can end the franchise’s Super Bowl drought? Or will it be a more unconventional pick that leaves the fanbase scratching its head?

Let’s dive into the latest Cowboys next head coach odds, as well as a few predictions regarding who could land the role.

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Cowboys Next Head Coach Odds: Who Will Land in Dallas?

All Cowboys next coach odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Wednesday, Jan. 15 at 10:15 a.m. ET. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.

• Deion Sanders (+150)
• Jason Witten (+175)
• Kellen Moore (+220)
• Bill Belichick (+1600)
• Ben Johnson (+1600)
• Joe Brady (+2000)
• Kliff Kingsbury (+2000)
• Jon Gruden (+2200)
• Brian Flores (+2500)
• Lane Kiffin (+2500)
• Liam Coen (+2500)
• Lincoln Riley (+2500)
• Matt Nagy (+2800)
• Bobby Slowik (+3300)
• Todd Monken (+3300)
• Nick Saban (+3300)
• Kirby Smart (+3300)
• Steve Spagnuolo (+3300)
• Jim Schwartz (+4000)
• Ron Rivera (+4000)
• Matt Campbell (+4000)
• Aaron Glenn (+4000)
• Curt Cignetti (+4000)
• Jesse Minter  (+5000)
• Pete Carroll (+5000)
• Tony Romo (+5000)
• Kevin O’Connell (+5000)
• Mike Tomlin (+7500)
• Sean Payton (+7500)
• Dan Quinn (+10000)

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Cowboys Next Head Coach Predictions & Dark Horse Bet

After looking through BetOnline’s odds, here’s a look at two of the best Cowboys next head coach bets, as well as my dark horse pick for the job.

1. Jason Witten (+175)

Unsurprisingly, Colorado Buffaloes HC Deion Sanders is BetOnline’s +150 favorite to coach the Cowboys in 2025. The ex-Dallas defender and owner/general manager Jerry Jones have reportedly been having conversations about the position after Sanders has completely turned around Colorado’s football program in recent years.

Although a Sanders-Cowboys connection would be extremely entertaining, I don’t see his potential hiring being one of the best bets. The 57-year-old marches to the beat of his own drummer whereas Jones likes having a coach that follows his vision, meaning a potential partnership could be a disaster waiting to happen.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jason Witten (+175) is the ex-Cowboy behind Dallas’ bench next season.

Witten, 42, might lack NFL head coaching experience but that might not matter to Jones. After all, the former 11-time Pro Bowl tight end is an all-time Cowboys fan favorite and that might be good enough for the eccentric billionaire. Let’s not forget how the Indianapolis Colts had no issues with naming Jeff Saturday as their head coach a few years ago despite his never coaching higher than high school football — the same as Witten.

Witten could wind up being a fantastic head coach one day, however, he needs to get experience behind an NFL bench first. While that might matter to other teams, Jones is likely fine with the bare resume because it likely means he’ll face less blowback from Witten regarding certain roster moves.

With the Cowboys proving better entertainment than some Hollywood writers, don’t be surprised if Witten is the next coach in franchise history.

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2. Kellen Moore (+220)

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (+220) is another familiar face who could be the Cowboys’ next head coach. The 36-year-old offensive guru served as Dallas’ quarterbacks coach in 2018 before working as the OC for the next four seasons. Since then, he’s held the same job title for the Los Angeles Chargers (2023) and Eagles (2024).

So, why would Moore come back to Big D after leaving town nearly three years ago?

Well, the Cowboys’ offense was underwhelming, to say the least, last season and the Prosser, WA native could be the key to getting things back on track. During his four seasons as the team’s OC, Dallas ranked 6th, 17th, 1st, and 4th in terms of points per game. That includes when Dak Prescott recorded a career-best 4,902 passing yards during the 2019 campaign.

Additionally, Moore has made it clear that he still thinks fondly of the Cowboys judging by his comments ahead of the Eagles’ Division Round matchup.

I spent a lot of time there, eight years there. So have plenty of relationships in that place.

Although Moore is having a ton of success with the Eagles, a chance at coaching the Cowboys might be too enticing to pass up.

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3. Dark Horse: Jon Gruden (+2200)

When it comes to the next Cowboys head coach dark horse pick, how can you ignore Jon Gruden at +2200 odds?

Gruden hasn’t been behind an NFL bench since his e-mail controversy forced him out of the Las Vegas Raiders HC job at the start of the 2022 season. He’s since been trying to find his way back into the league and while no one has given him an opportunity so far, it wouldn’t be shocking if the Cowboys rolled the dice on the 61-year-old candidate.

For starters, Gruden has plenty of experience, having coached in 229 regular-season games while tallying a 117-112 record. He’s also gone 5-4 in nine postseason appearances, which includes a 3-0 run en route to winning Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Considering how much Jones seemingly valued McCarthy’s Super Bowl ring, he’d likely feel the same way about Gruden’s.

Jones also recently referred to Gruden as “a friend,” further adding fuel to the fire. Throw in the fact that the Sandusky, OH native’s personality is tailormade for the Dallas spotlight, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he has a better chances at becoming the next Cowboys coach than his odds imply.

While Moore and Witten are likelier to coach in Dallas, don’t rule Gruden out just yet.

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