Cowboys Rumors: No Other 'Formal HC Interview Requests Out Despite Deion Sanders Buzz

Having already waited an extra week after the end of the 2024 season to decide Mike McCarthy wasn't going to return as head coach, the Dallas Cowboys aren't operating with any sense of urgency to interview replacement candidates.

Appearing on the Saturday morning edition of SportsCenter (starts at 1:40 mark), ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the Cowboys don't have "formal" requests out to speak with candidates currently employed by teams beyond the people they have already interviewed.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport confirmed the Cowboys haven't scheduled talks with Sanders and added he'd "be surprised if an interview ever happens."

Cowboys fans have their sights set on Deion Sanders after speaking with Jerry Jones earlier this week. Coach Prime confirmed to ESPN's Adam Schefter his conversation with Jones.

Despite that brief encounter between Sanders and Jones, there are some key hurdles standing in the way of a potential deal if that's the direction the Cowboys want to go. Chief among them being Sanders having a $10 million buyout in his contract with Colorado that Schefter has said is not "insignificant" for Dallas.

Another potential hurdle, per NFL Network's Jane Slater, is that Jones is "not really high" on paying big money for a full coaching staff and asked McCarthy to reduce the number of assistants (starts at :55 mark).

There has also been speculation that Jones wants to bring in assistants to the staff for his new head coach. NFL insider Ed Werder reported there is a "high probability" that former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will be included on the new coaching staff.

Werder noted the Cowboys discussed bringing in Witten on McCarthy's staff, but McCarthy pushed back against it. Witten has been coaching in the high-school ranks since 2021 at Liberty Christian School in Texas, leading the program to back-to-back state titles in 2023 and 2024.

The three candidates the Cowboys either have interviewed or are scheduled to interview thus far include Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh—who interviewed on Saturday—and Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier.

Given that Jones has shown a propensity for hiring former Cowboys players to be coaches—Jason Garrett had a 10-season run as head coach including his eight-game interim stint in 2010—the name that stands out among that initial trio of candidates is Moore.

Moore spent his last three seasons as a player with the Cowboys from 2015 to '17, then retired to become their quarterbacks coach in 2018. He spent four seasons as their offensive coordinator from 2019 to '22.

The Cowboys parted ways with McCarthy on Monday after the two sides were unable to agree to terms on a new contract. They finished 7-10 and missed the playoffs this season for the first time since 2020.