With Kliff Kingsbury returning to the Washington Commanders and Mike McCarthy reportedly pulling his name out of contention for the New Orleans

Were Mickey Loomis and McCarthy playing a game of chicken and Saints lost, or is Moore (or someone else) the real target, anyway?

Kellen Moore missed out on landing the Cowboys job but could be the front-runner for the New Orleans Saints after the Eagles dismantled the Commanders on Sunday afternoon, and Mike McCarthy decided to focus on 2026.

It looks like the former Cowboys coach will be following in the footsteps of previous high-profile sideline bosses, clearing the way for one of his protege.

The New Orleans Saints are the final team in the NFL with a head coaching vacancy, and they appear to be locking in on their top candidate. After former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy backed out of the running for the gig on Tuesday night,

Mike McCarthy has pulled himself out of the Saints head coach search. NFL Network reports he’s taking the year off and will look for work in 2026:

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy does not plan to coach this year. The New Orleans Saints are the only team still looking to hire a head coach, with six other franchises previously filling their vacancies.

McCarthy, whose contract expired with the Cowboys and wasn't signed to an extension, will sit out the 2025 season, according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. McCarthy removed his name from consideration for the New Orleans Saints' vacancy. The Saints are the last team to have a head coaching job open this offseason.

Mike McCarthy has decided against coaching in 2025, removing himself as a candidate to fill the NFL’s last remaining head coaching vacancy with the New Orleans Saints

According of Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the Saints have "no plans to interview anyone else," for the opening and are down to candidates: New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Underhill also shared that Moore is the leader in the clubhouse:

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