Now the Cowboys will look for a replacement while McCarthy checks out his options for the future. The Cowboys blocked McCarthy from interviewing with the Bears for their head coaching vacancy earlier this month, but now McCarthy is free to meet with them and any other team of his choosing for a shot at his third head coaching stint in the NFL.

Mike McCarthy will not return as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, ending a five-year tenure with the team.

The Dallas Cowboys had to make one of the hardest decisions of Jerry Jones' ownership when they decided not to renew McCarthy's contract before Tuesday's deadline.  This was the right move, regardless of McCarthy's pedigree and success in the NFL-- even in Dallas.