Saints have the inside track to hire Mike McCarthy thanks to a surprising connection

The coaching carousel took another rotation that no one could have expected to happen after Wild Card weekend. The Dallas Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy agreed to part ways after both sides couldn't agree on a deal by the Tuesday midnight deadline. So, the Cowboys are allowing McCarthy to pursue other opportunities.

We've heard since before the season ended that there was a chance McCarthy could leave Dallas as a free agent. Since then, there were reports of the Chicago Bears requesting an interview with McCarthy after the season ended, which the Cowboys rejected. Now, the Bears have a chance to speak with McCarthy for their head coaching vacancy.

But there's another team looming that could be a landing spot for McCarthy — the New Orleans Saints. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported after the McCarthy departure news that the Saints have interest in the head coach.

With this news, the Saints could have an advantage over the Bears for McCarthy, and it has to do with his agent.

Mike McCarthy connection to Saints could make him favorite for head coaching vacancy

McCarthy's agent is Don Yee, who just so happens to represent former head coach Sean Payton, who is currently with the Denver Broncos. If there is one thing that the Saints do prefer in their head coaching search, it's familiarity.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer mentioned in a column that McCarthy is a name to consider for the Saints' head coaching job, due in part to Yee being his agent, and considering he was a former assistant coach on the Saints for five years.

"Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is a name to consider in New Orleans, with his contract up in Dallas," writes Breer. "Familiarity will be a factor for the Saints (which positions Lions DC Aaron Glenn well there) too, and that’s another box McCarthy checks. He was together with GM Mickey Loomis over Loomis’s first five years in New Orleans, when McCarthy was Jim Haslett’s offensive coordinator there. Also worth noting is that McCarthy recently hired agent Don Yee, who represents ex-Saints coach Sean Payton."

The Saints have familiarity as a factor in their search for a new head coach. That's why Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was considered a favorite to land with the Saints. However, Glenn interviewed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, and the Bears for their head coach vacancies, while being scheduled to meet with the Las Vegas Raiders. So, there is no guarantee that Saints will definitely hire Glenn.

Having a former Super Bowl-winning head coach on the market with ties with the organization will be enticing for the Saints. It will be interesting to see if the Saints will pivot to McCarthy.