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After the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFC Wild Card Round, Bill Belichick emerged as one of the top candidates to replace Mike McCarthy as their head coach. The six-time Super Bowl winner is on record saying is he willing to continue coaching, even though he was axed by the New England Patriots.
And working with Jerry Jones could mean he gets back on the sidelines and has the chance to break Don Shula's record of the most NFL wins. However, there are pitfall both for Bill Belichick and the Cowboys, should they link up. Here is a list of reasons why they should or should not work together.
Cons of the six-time Super Bowl champion joining America's Team
#3 - Dak Prescott is no Tom Brady
NFL fans have been bombarded with a variation of the following truth ever since Tom Brady went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won a Super Bowl: Bill Belichick has never won a championship without the quarterback, while the GOAT has. And while that does not fully explain all the nuances behind why the coach struggled in New England after Brady's departure, there is some truth to it.
Dak Prescott is a very good quarterback but he is not Tom Brady. To be fair to him, nobody is. And it very possible the standard at which Bill Belichick might need him to play is not achievable. We have seen this story before with Paul Brown, who won seven championships with quarterback Otto Graham and the Cleveland Browns before failing to win any more either with them or the Cincinnati Bengals.
#2 - Jerry Jones not fond of strong personalities
This season we saw the enshrinement of two-time Super Bowl champion Jimmy Johnson into the Cowboys Ring of Honor. That it took this long was mostly due to owner Jerry Jones' falling out with him. He was worried the coach was getting more of the credit than him for winning those championships, leading to Johnson losing his job.
Jerry Jones retains a large amount of operational control over the Dallas Cowboys as the general manager of the franchise. Bill Belichick also held the same position with the New England Patriots along with his duties as head coach. There could be ego clashes that could cause the whole place to burn down.
#1 - The drama would be unparalleled
The Dallas Cowboys are America's Team. The scrutiny they face is unparalleled. The San Francisco 49ers have not won a Super Bowl 1994, which is before the time Dallas won one. Yet, Kyle Shanahan is never under as much pressure as Mike McCarthy has been throughout his tenure.
Bill Belichick is under huge pressure too as he seeks to show that he can win titles without Tom Brady. The media scrutiny around his hiring for the Cowboys could prove to be a harmful distraction.
Pros of Bill Belichick joining the Dallas Cowboys
#3 - Both sides have something to prove
Motivation can do wonders to people and organizations. Jerry Jones is desparate to bring the Super Bowl back to Dallas, especially with his advancing age. Bill Belichick wants to prove that all he needs is a good quarterback to win again.
The former Patriots coach did take New England to the playoffs with rookie Mac Jones and Dak Prescott is a better quarterback than that. Giving him the keys to the team on the sidelines could prove to be a masterstroke if both parties realize they have everything to gain from proving their detractors wrong.
#2 - Strong defense could only be made better
The Dallas Cowboys have the making of a great defense with Micah Parsons, Stephon Gilmore, Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. And Bill Belichick can bring out the best in them.
Even though the Patriots(4-13) finished bottom of the AFC East this season, their problems were on the offensive side of the ball. On defense, they gave up 301.6 total yards per game, which was the seventh-best in the league. To put it into perspective, it was better than the likes of the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills.
The Cowboys lost today despite scoring 32 points because they allowed 48 points to the Green Bay Packers. The former New England head coach could come and right that ship so that this does not happen again.
#1 - Playoff nous vital
The Dallas Cowboys have had three straight 12-5 seasons under Mike McCarthy. Where they have failed is at the playoffs stage. They have twice gone out in the Wild Card round and last year, they succumbed in the Divisional round. Bill Belichick has the coaching experience to win tight games in the postseason. His first three Super Bowl titles, where they outscored the opposition by a combined nine points, is proof of that.
Bringing him in could prove to be the act that changes the fortunes for Dallas beyond the regular season. Mike McCarthy won only one Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers despite having Aaron Rodgers. There is no similar criticism one can aim at Bill Belichick.
