Exclusive: NFL analyst speaks on whether Mike McCarthy will settle in 2025

Mike McCarthy is one of the top remaining candidates in the NFL head coaching search space, but there is just one team left. The New Orleans Saints have not yet made a decision on who will be their head coach of the future. Some have braced for McCarthy to end up in New Orleans, but one can only wait and see.

However, at this point, there appears a realistic possibility that McCarthy could miss the hiring cycle entirely. If that's the case, he would need to choose between taking the 2025 year off or settling for an offensive coordinator role. Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, NFL analyst Brian Baldinger expressed what he believed McCarthy would do if he didn't get the Saints job.

"I would think that maybe there's eight offensive coordinator positions that were ill open as of (Monday)," Baldinger said. "What do you think just being an offensive coordinator or take the year off? I think you'd probably take the year off."

Of course, this would not be the first time Mike McCarthy elected to take a year off. After his time with the Green Bay Packers drew to a close, McCarthy chose to skip the 2019 season before joining the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. Unless he lands with the Saints, history could repeat itself in Baldinger's eyes.

Exploring Mike McCarthy's potential fit with the New Orleans Saints

Mike McCarthy at Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles - Source: Imagn

While the possibility of McCarthy missing the 2025 hiring cycle is real, there's also reason to believe he could end up coaching Derek Carr before all is said and done. McCarthy has a history with the team going back to the early 2000s, when he spent five years as the team's offensive coordinator.

While that is nearly two decades ago, he can still make the pitch that he knows the town and the ins and outs of how to win over the culture of the area. Longtime Saints fans also might respect the full-circle moment.

Additionally, McCarthy also has a history of winning. In a head coaching career consisting of 18 seasons, he has finished under .500 just five times. While not a perfect track record, the New Orleans Saints have plenty of reason to trade those odds for their 5-12 record in 2024.

Will Mike McCarthy slide into the final open head coach job left?

If any of the above quotes are used, credit Sportskeeda.