FRISCO, Texas — For only the ninth time in the history of the franchise, the Dallas Cowboys are heading into a search for a new head coach. With the expiration of his existing contract as the team’s head coach quickly approaching, Mike McCarthy will depart after having coached five seasons with the club.

Hours after the decision was made, and one day ahead of the aforementioned expiration and deadline for exclusive negotiations, owner and general manager Jerry Jones issued an official statement.

“Throughout Mike McCarthy’s tenure here, including the last several weeks, I have been very complimentary of the job he has done,” Jones said. “That has applied to our record over that time period, our team unity and culture, Mike’s qualifications and track record of success, and on a personal level as a tremendous human being. I have great respect for Mike, and he has led the team through some very unique and challenging times during his tenure.”

What the move means for names such as Mike Zimmer and Al Harris is anyone’s guess, at least at the moment.

McCarthy joined the Cowboys in 2020 as the successor to Jason Garrett who, to that point in his football career, was a lifer with the organization stemming back to his father’s days as a legendary scout for Dallas and, later on, Garrett becoming the team’s backup quarterback behind Troy Aikman before landing the offensive coordinator role and, ultimately, the seat as head coach.

“Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction,” Jones added. “I thank Mike and wish him, his wife Jessica and their family the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here.”

It was a five-year deal for McCarthy, who turned around a pandemic-hampered inaugural season to rattle off three consecutive 12-win campaigns, his career with the Cowboys being unfortunately bookended by only his second losing season in five tries.

Is there an idea as to what the Cowboys’ front office will look for in a new head coach?

That is yet unclear, but the search will now begin.

“We will commence a search process immediately to hire the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys,” said Jones.

McCarthy leaves as one of the winningest regular season head coaches in Cowboys’ history, though unable to parlay that into postseason success for a team starved for a return to Super Bowl glory.

Both sides had initial interest in continuing the relationship prior to the season concluding, but it was not to be.

Be it length of contract and/or compensation and/or variables unknown, McCarthy’s tenure has concluded. He is now free to interview with any of the other 31 NFL teams, the Cowboys having initially denied a request from the Chicago Bears to speak with him during the exclusive negotiating rights window.

And, with that, head coach No. 9 must be named, and preferably sooner than later when considering the ramifications of installing a new coaching regime.