CBS Sports ranks all 32 NFL head coach’s prior to 2024 season

Every season, we watch new and familiar faces on the sidelines, wearing headsets and clutching play sheets.

In football, talent wins games. Teams with franchise quarterbacks usually compete for the top spots. However, having a creative mind on the sidelines to help steer that on-field talent in the right direction is what separates the best from the worst.

CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin ranked all 32 head coaches for the 2024 season, from unproven first-year coaches to those on the hot seat and future Hall of Famers.

For the Dallas Cowboys, the pressure is on for head coach Mike McCarthy, who comes in at number 17 on the list.

From a resume standpoint, McCarthy deserves higher billing; his 167 career wins rank 18th all time, and his Super Bowl peak proves he can win on the ultimate stage. The issue is that, even provided an all-star setup in Dallas, his offensive touch has recently and consistently struggled to translate when it matters most: Despite three straight 12-win seasons, his Cowboys are 1-3 in playoff competition.

– Cody Benjamin

McCarthy was hired by the Cowboys in 2020 and has since compiled a 42-25 regular season record, including three consecutive 12-5 records and two division titles in 2021 and 2023. However, the Cowboys are 1-3 in the postseason under McCarthy’s tenure.

Prior to his time in Dallas, McCarthy served as head coach of the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2019 where he recorded a 125-77-2 regular season record and a 10-8 postseason record and a Super Bowl win in 2010.

It’s evident McCarthy can win big, something Dallas hasn’t done in nearly 30 years. Now entering the final year of his contract, the seat may be one of the warmest in the league and McCarthy may need to win big in order to save his job in Dallas.