Josh McDaniels Also Favored to Be Cowboys’ Next Head Coach; Can He Work with Jerry Jones?
- Odds of McDaniels being hired as Cowboys HC go unchanged at +300
- Patriots’ offensive coordinator to also interview for Cleveland, New York openings
- 49ers DC Robert Saleh moves up odd rankings from +500 to +400
The clock continues to tick on Jason Garrett’s time as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
A candidate that’s emerged as one of the favorites to take over head coaching duties with the Cowboys is Josh McDaniels, who is reportedly scheduled to conduct interviews with other teams next week.
Books have released odds on who will be the next coach for the Cowboys, with McDaniels listed as the +300 frontrunner.
Will McDaniels be the next coach of America’s Team or will another candidate take over for Garrett? Here are the odds and a closer look at what the best bet is.
Next Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Odds
| Name | Odds |
|---|---|
| Josh McDaniels | +300 |
| Robert Saleh | +400 |
| Lincoln Riley | +500 |
| Greg Roman | +600 |
| Urban Meyer | +600 |
| Eric Bienemy | +700 |
| Matt Rhule | +700 |
| Dan Mullen | +1000 |
| Gary Kubiak | +1000 |
| Mike Zimmer | +1000 |
| Jim Harbaugh | +1200 |
Odds taken on Jan. 3
When the odds first opened last month on who would be the next coach of the Cowboys, McDaniels topped the list at +300 and that line has not changed in the new year.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots offensive coordinator also has interviews lined up next week with the Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants.
#Patriots OC Josh McDaniels is planning to conduct his interviews next Friday, Jan. 10, sources say. He has requests from the #Panthers, #Browns and #Giants – and is considered a top candidate.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 2, 2020
Recent odds also show that McDaniels is a favorite to fill the vacant coaching position in Cleveland at +200. McDaniels was listed as a +200 frontrunner for the Giants job, but Baylor University coach Matt Rhule has since taken over as the +250 favorite, with Mike McCarthy at +300.
Is McDaniels a Good Fit in Dallas?
The situation has to be just right for McDaniels to leave a winning organization like the New England Patriots. We learned that two years ago when McDaniels accepted the head coaching job in Indianapolis before backing out and returning to Foxborough.
Is the situation with the Dallas Cowboys right for McDaniels?
He would fit right in considering the Cowboys boast one of the best offenses in the NFL. Dallas led the league in yards per game (431.5) and averaged a sixth-best 27.1 points per game in 2019. Both of those figures were better than what the Patriots produced this season, signaling what could be the end for New England’s powerhouse offense.
Josh McDaniels #Browns pic.twitter.com/DMjJ8P4qll
— Browns Rally Possum (@Browns_Possum) December 30, 2019
The question becomes whether McDaniels could have a good working relationship with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has gone through seven head coaches since first taking over the team in 1989.
McDaniels has worked alongside Bill Belichick as offensive coordinator since 2012 and was with the team three years previously from 2005 to 2008, which would prepare him for taking the job in Dallas under Jones.
The #Browns have requested permission to interview #Patriots OC Josh McDaniels, per @AdamSchefter. Source tells clevelanddotcom that McDaniels would be ready to leave NE now & that he'd have a hard time turning down hometown #Browns https://t.co/ZtuU0p0sgF
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) December 30, 2019
Who Are the Next Best Candidates?
One candidate moving up the odds board is current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who went from +500 to +400 in a week and sits right behind McDaniels.
The problem for Saleh is that he’s only worked as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, which would put him at a disadvantage for the Dallas job.
While McCarthy may be among the favorites for the Giants job, the former Packers coach would be another perfect fit for the Cowboys, even though he was not on the recent odds board. McCarthy, who has been on the sidelines since being let go by Green Bay, led the Packers to a 125-77 regular-season record and 10-8 record in the playoffs over 13 seasons.
At the end of the day, however, the Cowboys will focus on bringing in McDaniels at any cost.
Pick: Josh McDaniels (+300)
Angelo Montilla is a writer, visual design instructor and graphic designer based on the East Coast. As a journalism graduate, his experience in the media industry spans more than 15 years and includes work with Nation Network, SportsBreak, Featurd, Hockey Writers and the Windsor Star.
