The Dallas Cowboys’ decision regarding head coach Mike McCarthy may be speeding up after what the Chicago Bears did. 

The Bears have reportedly asked the Cowboys for permission to interview McCarthy for their head coach vacancy, and ESPN reported Jerry Jones has yet to respond. 

However, the Bears do not need the Cowboys' permission as they could interview the longtime NFL head coach after the exclusive negotiating window is up on Jan. 14. 

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McCarthy’s contract is set to expire with the Cowboys, but Jones has made it known that he is not going to just let the Super Bowl-winning coach just waltz into free agency. There is a chance that he could return, and players like Dak Prescott have been vocal about him remaining in place as well. 

However, the speed at which Jones and the Cowboys make their decision could be sped up now with the Bears, and possibly other teams, waiting to interview McCarthy for their own head coaching gigs. 

McCarthy has just finished his fifth season in Dallas, and after going 12-5 in each of the last three seasons, the Cowboys finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020 – his first year as head coach. 

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There were questions about McCarthy’s future with the organization before the 2024 regular season began, as players like Prescott and CeeDee Lamb received extensions, but the head coach’s future remained in limbo as he did not put pen to paper. 

Things were not looking good for McCarthy either, as the Cowboys were stagnant to start the year and then plummeted once Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in early November. 

However, it was clear toward the end of the year, as backup quarterback Cooper Rush got more comfortable in the starting role, that the Cowboys were not mailing it in, just waiting for the season to be over.

Dallas won four of its five games after snapping a four-game skid in early November, and despite a beatdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17, Dallas played hard until the end in Week 18, though the Washington Commanders had a game-winning touchdown with three seconds left to hand them their 10th loss of the season. 

NFL Network reported Jones and McCarthy were expected to meet Monday afternoon, though a contract offer was not mentioned. The report added that McCarthy wants to remain in Dallas if they would have him. 

"I don’t know that I am considering making a change is really what I’m trying to say," Jones told reporters about his coaching situation. 

Meanwhile, the Bears will be searching high and low for the right man to take over a team with loads of potential, but could not keep the ball rolling after starting the year 4-2. A Week 18 win over the Green Bay Packers snapped a 10-game losing streak to end the year on a high note, but Caleb Williams and company need to improve if they wish to compete in a loaded NFC North division. 

The Bears have already requested permission to interview several top candidates, including Detroit Lions OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn, New York Giants OC Mike Kafka and Steelers OC Arthur Smith, among others. 

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