Former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy is joining the Dallas Cowboys as the franchise's next head coach, the team announced Tuesday.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones fired former head coach Jason Garrett after 10 seasons, a move the team announced late Sunday.
"We are extremely grateful to Jason Garrett for his more than 20 years of service to the Dallas Cowboys as a player, assistant coach, and head coach," Jones said in a statement. "His level of commitment, character & dedication to this organization has been outstanding at every stage of his career."
McCarthy, 56, brings a wealth of experience to the Cowboys, winning 61.8% of his regular-season games in 13 seasons, from 2006 to 2018, with the Green Bay Packers. He led the Packers to the playoffs nine times, including a Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. McCarthy also finished with 10 or more wins in eight seasons.
McCarthy, who will become the ninth head coach in franchise history, has an overall coaching record of 125-77-2.
Jones' hiring of McCarthy also ends the coach's torturing of the Cowboys, too. The last time McCarthy led the Packers to the playoffs came in the 2016 season when he coached the team to a 34-31 win over the Cowboys. McCarthy also helped end the Cowboys' 2015 season, as the Packers were victorious, 26-21, in the NFC divisional round.
McCarthy had stints as offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints from 2000 to 04 and San Francisco 49ers in 2005 before being hired as the Packers coach in 2006.
McCarthy, who was fired by the Packers in 2018, takes over a team that finished 8-8, falling to the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-9, in a Week 16 matchup to secure the NFC East crown.
Earlier this season, Jones also decided against offering Garrett an extension, leaving many to believe Garrett would only save his job with a Super Bowl win or at least a trip to the NFC title game, but the Cowboys failed to make it to the playoffs. Garrett's five-year contract, valued at $30 million, was set to expire Jan. 14.