Hall of Fame head coach Jimmy Johnson suggested a wild blockbuster trade idea between two middling NFL franchises that would involve a one-for-one HC swap.
Speaking on “Fox NFL Sunday”, Jimmy Johnson suggested that the Pittsburgh Steelers trade head coach Mike Tomlin to the Dallas Cowboys for HC Mike McCarthy. Johnson cited that things have become “stale” for both franchises but also emphasized that he doesn’t have any “insider information” here.
“Things are stale in Pittsburgh. Things are stale in Dallas. 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. Both franchises would be excited.”
The Steelers lost their final four regular season games and were crushed 28-14 by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round. The Cowboys missed the playoffs with a 7-10 record, and Jerry Jones still hasn’t made a decision on the future of McCarthy.
“Things are stale in Pittsburgh. Things are stale in Dallas… How about a coaching swap? Mike McCarthy is a Pittsburgh guy. Let him go to [the Steelers]. Let Mike Tomlin go to [the Cowboys]. Both franchises would be excited.” – Jimmy Johnson #NFL pic.twitter.com/M8yev28h0E
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 12, 2025
Though Tomlin is expected to return to Pittsburgh, McCarthy’s contract expires on Tuesday. Other teams will have the opportunity to negotiate with the 61-year-old if a new deal with Dallas isn’t reached.
Jimmy Johnson’s Trade Proposal Actually Makes Some Sense
As much as some Steelers fans want Tomlin gone, he’s a lock for the Hall of Fame and would be high in demand on the NFL HC hiring cycle. If he became available, Dallas would have to strongly consider him.
And as polarizing as McCarthy is, this is a coach whose teams constantly churn out a top-10 offense. Tomin’s Steelers haven’t had a top-10 scoring offense since 2018, so McCarthy might actually be a better fit there at this phase than the NFL’s longest-tenured HC.
