Ex-Cowboys HC McCarthy Reportedly Linked to Giants Job Amid Harbaugh, Stefanski Rumors

The New York Giants plan to interview former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

McCarthy has a .608 career winning percentage across his spells with the Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. He has also guided his teams to the playoffs in 12 of his 18 years on the sideline.

As they seek a full-time replacement for Brian Daboll, the Giants may be prioritizing experienced candidates with a proven track record. Schefter and SNY's Connor Hughes reported John Harbaugh, who was fired by the Baltimore Ravens could be in play:

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network added:

A lot of Giants fans would probably consider McCarthy — and Harbaugh as well — to be an uninspiring hire if that comes to pass. The Super Bowl title McCarthy won with the Packers was 15 years ago, and he has just one postseason win since 2016.

The 62-year-old did at least deliver in the regular season with Dallas. The Cowboys reeled off three straight 12-win seasons between 2021-23 and were NFC East champions twice.

The franchise wasn't necessarily wrong to move on from McCarthy after a 7-10 finish in 2024, but he wasn't the sole person responsible for Dallas failing to end its title drought.

The Cowboys didn't fare any better with Brian Schottenheimer at the helm as they went 7-9-1 and had one of the NFL's worst defenses.

For the Giants, losing in the playoffs under McCarthy would be an upgrade because simply reaching the postseason has been a challenge. They've made two trips since their most recent Super Bowl triumph in 2011.

One argument in favor of McCarthy is that he may at least bring the kind of year-to-year consistency that has been sorely lacking for New York. His profile as an offensive coach and quarterback specialist would mesh nicely with Jaxson Dart, too.

If the Giants would need to make another coaching change in three or four years, then they may have at least built a more solid foundation for success.

Granted, interviewing McCarthy in the first place gives the impression that general manager Joe Schoen is trying to find a short-term solution that improves his job security.