Following Mike McCarthy's departure, Jason Witten was considered as a possible replacement for the head coaching position at the Cowboys.

The search for the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys franchise has begun.

On Monday, Jerry Jones, the longtime Cowboys owner and general manager, announced that he and coach Mike McCarthy had mutually agreed to part ways. Prior to contract negotiations, it was clear that they would both be better off going in different directions. Jones thanked McCarthy and wished him and his family well. They had been a valuable part of the Cowboys community.

ESPN reported that a former Cowboys star tight end was being considered for the head coaching position during pregame coverage of Monday's wild-card round game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings.

Adam Schefter stated on ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" that the Dallas Cowboys will conduct a search here to try and find their next head coach.

"It's evident that the Cowboys are searching for a new head coach. Currently, there are many names circulating around. At some point, Kellen Moore, the Eagles offensive coordinator, or Jason Witten, an all-time franchise great, could potentially join the team. However, this is still in the early stages, and we'll have to wait and see where Jerry Jones takes his search."

In the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft, the Cowboys selected Witten. He spent nearly all of his NFL career with the franchise before retiring after the 2017 season. He then spent some time in the ESPN broadcast booth before ultimately returning to the Cowboys in 2019.

He continues to hold the record for the most receptions and receiving yards in the franchise's history, with his last NFL game being with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

Another former Cowboys star player, Deion Sanders, has been linked to the coaching vacancy since parting ways with McCarthy.

Currently, the head football coach at Colorado is Sanders, who previously won a Super Bowl with the Cowboys during his five-year tenure with the franchise.

If Sanders lands in the Dallas-Forth Worth Metroplex, his arrival would align with one of Jones' recent coaching hires. Jason Garrett was the Cowboys' head coach from 2010-19. He was primarily Troy Aikman's backup quarterback from 1993-99.

The Cowboys aim to rebound after ending the regular season with a 7-10 record. Their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott, was sidelined for the final nine games due to a hamstring injury.

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