Odds Against Mike McCarthy Being an NFL Head Coach in 2019

• Mike McCarthy fired as Packers head coach following last weekend’s 20-17 loss to Arizona
• 55-year-old led Green Bay to victory at Super Bowl XLV
• Browns emerge as favorite to land McCarthy, but a return to college football remains a possibility

The end of an era was marked this week when Mike McCarthy was fired after 13 seasons as head coach of the Green Bay Packers.

The ax fell following Green Bay’s 20-17 loss to the visiting Arizona Cardinals as a massive 13.5-point favorite, effectively ending the Packers’ slim playoff hopes for a second straight year.

The loss also possibly ended McCarthy’s future in the NFL, with the odds of the 55-year-old coaching elsewhere in the NFL next season pegged at a lengthy +185.

Odds Mike McCarthy is a Head Coach in the NFL at Any Point in the 2019 Season?

Packers a Playoff Fixture Under McCarthy

McCarthy enjoyed an impressive run as bench boss in Green Bay, leading the Packers to six NFC North divisional titles and a victory in Super Bowl XLV. However, the squad has struggled under his leadership the past two seasons.

The Packers ended a stretch of eight straight playoff appearances with a disappointing 7-9 finish last season, and stumbled to a dismal 4-7-1 record that eventually cost McCarthy his job while sporting +400 odds as the next NFL coach to be fired.

McCarthy Favored to Land Head Coaching Job

While McCarthy is listed as a heavy -280 favorite to not coach in the NFL next season, other oddsmakers are somewhat more optimistic, pegging the Pittsburgh native as a strong +100 bet to make his next job a head coaching position.

Odds Where Mike McCarthy Will Coach Next?

A number of NFL head coaching positions are rumored to be up for grabs during the offseason. The Cleveland Browns are the team most likely to be in the hunt for a new bench boss after parting ways with Hue Jackson earlier this season, and have emerged as a strong +125 wager to be McCarthy’s next destination.

Is Mike McCarthy headed to Cleveland? https://t.co/yADJgZc60Y

— Doug Ritchay (@dougritchay) December 3, 2018

Still in the process of burying the memory of the past two seasons, during which they tallied just one regular-season victory, the Browns could benefit from McCarthy’s winning track record and previous experience as a quarterbacks coach.

McCarthy also has existing relationships with Browns brass including general manager John Dorsey, whom he worked with in Green Bay.

Faltering Relationship with Rodgers Could Complicate Job Search

However, reports have emerged suggesting that a rapidly deteriorating relationship between the coach and Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers played a role in McCarthy’s departure from Green Bay.

Aaron Rodgers opened up about his relationship with McCarthy on 'difficult' day after firing https://t.co/OMH2VvXD10 pic.twitter.com/ncbfQ775xG

— For The Win (@ForTheWin) December 4, 2018

That could make McCarthy a challenging fit in Cleveland, with outspoken rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield now at the helm of the Browns offense.

Mayfield has been candid in his unflattering comments about Hue Jackson since his former coach took on a new job with the division rival Cincinnati Bengals, which will likely complicate the team’s search for a new bench boss.

Falcons, Giants, Jaguars Among Potential NFL Destinations

Other potential NFL destinations include the Atlanta Falcons, who sport +400 odds of hiring McCarthy, while the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons sit deadlocked at +500.

The Falcons have compiled a disappointing 4-8 record this season, and ride a four-game SU losing streak into their Week 14 clash with the Packers as 6-point road underdogs.

However, Atlanta’s slow start can be largely attributed to a devastating rash of injuries that struck the squad early in the campaign, a circumstance which will likely save the job of head coach Dan Quinn.

The Falcons are now 4-7 after Thursday's loss to the Saints, but owner Arthur Blank said he supports coach Dan Quinn. "Our coach is not the problem," he said. https://t.co/Ku4eSPDXQY #espn #news #charlotte

— Bentley Koup (@BentleyKoup) November 23, 2018

Doug Marrone also appears to be maintaining job security as head coach in Jacksonville despite the Jaguars’ free-fall out of playoff contention. Under Marrone’s guidance, the Jaguars claimed their first division title in 18 years last season, and the team is reportedly committed to the 54-year-old for next season.

Report: Doug Marrone will be back with the #Jaguars in ‘19 https://t.co/Xo01szCoLx pic.twitter.com/KkSo6i9eYu

— Big Cat Country (@BigCatCountry) November 25, 2018

Pat Shurmur has been in the hot seat since taking over the coaching reins in New York, but will likely be provided with time to turn around the Giants’ fortunes.

A Return to College Ball Not Out of the Question

Facing limited NFL coaching options, and with four years experience with the Pittsburgh Panthers early in his coaching career, McCarthy has emerged as a +300 bet to make his coaching return at the college level, where several head coaching positions have become available, most notably at Colorado, Georgia, Kansas State, and Maryland.