Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy sat down to talk Tuesday. Later in the day, the Cowboys denied Chicago’s request to interview McCarthy for its head coaching vacancy. The two are related, based on what two people with knowledge of the impending discussions told The Dallas Morning News after the Bears made their request.

McCarthy guided the Cowboys to just one playoff win over five campaigns, but his teams went 12-5 each season from 2021-23 before a noteworthy injury crisis impacted the club this past fall.