FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys made the long-rumored move official when they announced Mike McCarthy as the ninth head coach in team history.
The team announced McCarthy's hiring in a tweet released Tuesday afternoon. He replaces Jason Garrett, who piloted the team during a run of nine-plus seasons that was the second-longest in team history behind only original coach Tom Landry.
Mike McCarthy officially hired as #DallasCowboys head coach.
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 7, 2020
MORE → https://t.co/ArodAptHD7 pic.twitter.com/C8Vl8Cu3av
ESPN reportsthat McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys will be for five years.
McCarthy, 56, was most recently head coach in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers during a 13-season stint that ended when he was fired 12 games into the 2018 season. He took the 2019 season off, traveling around the country to learn from studying various NFL coaches and franchises in a football-related sabbatical.
During his stint with the Packers, the team claimed Super Bowl XLV in February 2011. His Green Bay teams notched a 125-77-2 record and made the playoffs in nine of his 13 seasons.
New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan will become the Cowboys' new defensive coordinator, ESPN reports. McCarthy was Nolan's offensive coordinator in 2005 before he was hired as Green Bay's head coach.
Nolan most recently was an NFL defensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons.
