Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is currently preparing for the Eagles’ divisional-round playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams. But that isn’t the only thing on his plate this week, as he’s also interviewing for a new job, potentially as the Dallas Cowboys’ head coach.
On Monday, Mike McCarthy and Dallas parted ways, creating one of the biggest job vacancies in the NFL. After the news broke, the rumor mill started churning, with all kinds of names being thrown out there, including current Colorado coach and former Cowboy great Deion Sanders as a potential candidate.
With McCarthy out as Dallas’ head coach, DraftKings Sportsbook has odds on the most likely prospect to land that high-profile job. Yes, in some parts of the world, you can bet on these things.
Would we advise you to bet on the impenetrable decision-making of Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones? We would not. But thanks to the research that goes into listing these odds, the betting market can give a window of insight for curious fans. The odds are not the end-all-be-all in any of these scenarios, but they are an entertaining way to discuss topics with your friends, family and co-workers.
So, what do the odds say?
On Friday, Moore interviewed virtually with the Cowboys and jumped into pole position as the favorite on DraftKings (-125) for the head coach opening.
Sanders (+175) was the betting favorite earlier this week. Public interest around the celebrity coach’s next move spiked after reports that Cowboys’ owner and general manager Jerry Jones had discussed the role with him. That said, “Coach Prime” has remained coy about his interest in the job.
Another name to watch? Dallas’ current offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer. He popped toward the top of the betting board on Friday afternoon, with his odds shifting drastically from +7000 to +500.
In addition to Moore, the Cowboys have reportedly scheduled interviews with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh (+300) and Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier (+1200). It is important to note that Jones has spoken less formally with Sanders.
Sanders opened as the favorite, listed at +100 odds on Tuesday, with Moore behind him at +250.
“Kellen Moore and Deion Sanders are at the top of our list, driven by the current buzz and their strong ties to the Cowboys organization — an attribute we know Jerry Jones values highly,” Johnny Avello, director of sports operations at DraftKings, told The Athletic. “Our comprehensive list is crafted with a strong understanding of the candidate pool, in-depth research and real-time news updates.”
Here’s a look at Dallas’ next coach odds and some insights from The Athletic’s NFL staff.
Betting odds for the Cowboys’ next head coach
As of the afternoon of January 17, these are the odds on DraftKings Sportsbook.
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
|
Kellen Moore |
-125 |
|
Deion Sanders |
+175 |
|
Robert Saleh |
+300 |
|
Brian Schottenheimer |
+500 |
|
Ben Johnson |
+700 |
|
Kliff Kingsbury |
+850 |
|
Joe Brady |
+850 |
|
Aaron Glenn |
+850 |
|
Liam Coen |
+1000 |
|
Steve Sarkisian |
+1200 |
|
Jason Witten |
+1200 |
|
Leslie Frazier |
+1200 |
|
Brian Flores |
+1200 |
|
Bill Belichick |
+1200 |
What The Athletic’s NFL staff is saying
Kellen Moore (-125)
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Chase Daniel explained on the latest Scoop City podcast why Moore is “the hot name” to land the gig.
“There are some people around the league who say if you work under Jerry, he has to feel like he can control you,” Russini said. “Because [Moore] came up through Dallas as a coach, there’s going to be that loyalty.”
“I think he makes a lot of sense because I think he can handle Jerry Jones,” Daniel said. “That’s the No. 1 thing.”
Kellen Moore is the hot name around the Dallas Cowboys right now but there’s a VERY specific reason why.https://t.co/jQzoCInuC0
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 17, 2025
Deion Sanders (+175)
“Would the spotlight in Dallas shine wide enough to accommodate two larger-than-life personalities (Sanders, Jones) instead of just one (Jones)? Sanders, as a legendary former Cowboys player, is already family in Dallas. That would seem to help. But the potential for shaking things up would be there every day. Jones might like that. ‘I think they are made for each other — two showmen,’ an exec from another team said. ‘It would be must-watch TV, which is probably the second thing Jerry cares about, if you believe he wants to win a Super Bowl.’” —Mike Sando
Robert Saleh (+300)
“The Cowboys haven’t had a defensive head coach since Wade Phillips, who was fired in 2010. Saleh has had a lot of success coaching NFL defenses, but what would his plan be for Dallas’ offense? Dak Prescott is the NFL’s highest-paid player. CeeDee Lamb is the league’s second-highest-paid wide receiver. Saleh’s offensive plan and pick for offensive coordinator will be very important in any discussions with the Cowboys.” —Jon Machota
Ben Johnson (+700)
“For the second consecutive hiring cycle, the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator has been one of the league’s top candidates. Since taking over their offense, Johnson has had the group among the best in the league, and few are able to match his creativity. Maybe his most impressive accomplishment has been turning veteran QB Jared Goff into one of the league’s top players. Johnson has had an opportunity to leave but has been careful about choosing the right opportunity.” —Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf
Kliff Kingsbury (+850)
“Kingsbury is known as a quarterback-centric coach, who has helped Jayden Daniels to his impressive rookie campaign in Washington. There are questions with Kingsbury, and those were getting louder in the second half of the regular season when his offense in Washington went stale. A Commanders playoff run could mask a lot, but the biggest question to consider will be if Kingsbury is better suited with an NFL ceiling as a coordinator or if he’s capable of being a more successful head coach than what he showed previously in Arizona (28-37-1, one playoff appearance in four seasons).” —Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf
Joe Brady (+850)
“Brady is a hot name for the way he transformed the offense after taking over as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator. While his work in Buffalo has been impressive, there is a question of how good of a fit he would be for what’s in Dallas. The two high points for Brady were in 2019 after his work as LSU’s passing game coordinator and wide receiver coach and present day as the Bills’ offensive coordinator. In those situations, he had Joe Burrow and Josh Allen as his quarterbacks. Prescott is not in the same class as either, so it wouldn’t quite be apples to apples for Brady.” —Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf
Bill Belichick (+1200)
“A report surfaced Monday morning that Belichick would have been interested in the Cowboys’ job but did not know it be an option before he took the position at North Carolina. It was reported last week that if Belichick leaves prior to June 1, 2025, there is a $10 million buyout.” —Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf
What The Athletic’s readers think
Here are the results from a poll we ran with you, our readers, on who you think the best candidate would be.
(Photo of Deion Sanders: Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)
