Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels Leading Candidate for San Francisco 49ers Head Coach

Some news is leaking out this weekend with regards to the San Francisco 49ers head coaching position- and now it's involving the Patriots.

Per ESPN's Marcellus Wiley, current head coach Jim Harbaugh has already struck a deal with the University of Michigan to become the head coach of Harbaugh's alma mater. It'll be for a pretty penny and he's probably more suited for the college life as a head coach- and the fact that he had NFL success will only help his case in relegitimizing the once great college football program.

As a result of Angry Harbaugh's pending departure, ESPN's Chris Mortensen says that Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the leading candidate to be the next head coach. CSN's Matt Maiocco agrees with Mort and says that the 49ers wanted the offensive guru back in 2011, but McDaniels was concerned about the "organization's management structure."

Will McDaniels actually leave to San Francisco? It's a better gig than the Cleveland Browns job he was linked to last off-season. It's probably one of the better jobs out there, if he can get it.

I always got the feeling that McDaniels would take another year with the Patriots before deciding, but he wasn't meant to be with New England long term; he'll leave for a head coaching role soon enough. It's likely wide receivers coach Chad O'Shea would be next in line to be offensive coordinator, with tight ends coach Brian Daboll as a dark horse.

We'll be following this storyline through the end of the season.