DALLAS COWBOYS
Dallas Cowboys

Former Cowboys player helps Jerry Jones by proposing a candidate to be the new coach: "You're gonna get a mini Bill Belichick"

Mike McCarthy could leave the Cowboys to head to the Chicago Bears, meaning the head coach job in Texas would be open.

Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones
Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry JonesLAPRESSE

Jerry Jones has been told to hunt down Mike Vrabel to replace Mike McCarthy as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach by believing the ex-Tennessee Titans boss to be a "mini-Bill Belichick", although he warns he won't solve the problems alone.

Keyshawn Johnson, a three-time Pro Bowl player under Belichick with the New York Jets before spending one year in Texas, suggested Vrabel is the only appropriate replacement for McCarthy if the 60-year-old chooses to go to the Chicago Bears.

The 2003 Super Bowl winning wide receiver praised the 49-year-old's attention to defense, discipline and organization, comparing him to Belichick who ranks third all-time in wins by a head coach with 302 to his name.

"If it opens up [Cowboys HC position], and it's available, then Vrabel is a pretty good choice," Johnson told Speak. "He wants it 100% of the time.

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"What you're getting out of Vrabel is you're going to get a mini Bill Belichick. You're going to get a mini Bill Belichick. You get discipline. He's going to rely on things defensively. He's going to run the defense."

Johnson's warning to Jones

Vrabel was most recently in charge of the Tennessee Titans and he guided them to two AFC South titles, two second-place finishes and a third-place finish before being shockingly sacked in 2023 after a 6-11 record when they were last in the division.

He took the team to three postseason appearances, including to the AFC Championship Game in 2019 when they were beaten by the Kansas City Chiefs in a close 35-24 contest that saw the Chiefs pull off one of their famous fourth-quarter rallies.

However, Johnson warns the 82-year-old Jones that hiring Vrabel alone won't be just enough. He also needs to bring a skilled running back to the AT&T Stadium to back-up Dak Prescott and Ceedee Lamb in the offense.

"But one of the things they got to go find is a Derrick Henry," Johnson added, referring to the Baltimore Ravens' running back who rushed for 1921 yards and 16 touchdowns from 325 carries in the 2024/25 NFL season.

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