The Big Lead

Jimmy Johnson suggests wild idea for Cowboys, Steelers

By Max Weisman

Would a coaching swap benefit both sides?
Would a coaching swap benefit both sides? / Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazett
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Both the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers failed once again to win a playoff game this season, and both legendary franchises are in the midst of their own long Super Bowl drought. One Dallas legend believes there's something both teams can do about it and believes this move is something both franchises would be excited about.

"Things are stale in Pittsburgh, things are stale in Dallas," the former Cowboys head coach said on Fox's pregame show. "Food for thought. How about a coaching swap? Mike McCarthy's a Pittsburgh guy. Let him go to Pittsburgh let Mike Tomlin go to Dallas."

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McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys expires Tuesday and according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter, the two sides are parting ways. McCarthy returning in 2025 didn't seem to be in the cards during the Cowboys' five-game losing streak from mid-October to mid-November. However, Dallas won four of its final seven games and with the injuries the Cowboys faced, most notably quarterback Dak Prescott, Jones spoke highly of McCarthy's coaching in the face of adversity. Those wins weren't enough to get McCarthy a new contract, though.

In Pittsburgh, sentiment towards Mike Tomlin seems to be turning. The Steelers went 10-7 and lost in the Wild Card round on the road by 14 points for the second straight season. Tomlin has been the head coach in the Steel City since 2007 and the Steelers have yet to have a losing season. However, with their 28-14 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night, Pittsburgh has gone eight seasons without a playoff win, 0-5 in that stretch.

The Steelers have now gone one-and-done in the playoffs eight times under Tomlin. One more and he'll tie former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer's one-and-done record of nine. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac, the Steelers are planning to give him that chance. Pittsburgh plans to move forward with Tomlin in 2025 despite their recent playoff ineptitudes.

While it doesn't seem the two teams will listen to Johnson's idea of a coach swap, they should both consider it. A fresh start for each coach and each team might be just what they both need to get closer to ending their respective Super Bowl droughts.

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