Earlier this week, Pro Football Talk reported that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was not included in the NFL’s list of recommended head coaching candidates because the belief is that McDaniels ultimately wants to take over the Patriots when head coach Bill Belichick retires.
It’s important to note that PFT is not generating the story, but that those NFL personnel folks that constructed the list have this opinion of McDaniels.
Both Belichick and McDaniels voiced their thoughts on the subject during Tuesday’s press conferences.
“I didn’t see or hear the report firsthand, so I’ll take what you described as being accurate,” Belichick said. “I think that both Josh [McDaniels] and Matt [Patricia]- so Matt who is on the list [of coaching recommendations] and I guess Josh who isn’t, if that’s right – I think both Josh and Matt are great coaches. [They] should absolutely be on any head coaching list.
“I can’t imagine that there are many other coaches that could present a resume equal or comparable to theirs. They’ve done a great job here for a sustained period of time so a great track record. I think, I personally think, that a list of head coaching candidates that didn’t include them would be incomplete.
“A similar comment on the general manager thing with Nick [Caserio], which I don’t know if he was or wasn’t included. I think somebody told me that he wasn’t included, so I would have the same comment for him. He does a tremendous job as well. I can’t imagine any list not having those three people.”
McDaniels has been the Patriots offensive coordinator since 2012 after a failed stint as the Broncos head coach from 2009-10. McDaniels’ resume as an offensive mind is unparalleled as he orchestrated QB Matt Cassel’s 2008 season, along with QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s scorching start to the 2016 season.
“I’m aware of the report and I’ll try to clear that up,” McDaniels said on Tuesday. “I definitely said it before and I’ll say it again. I definitely would love to be a head coach again. There are only 32 of those in the world. They’re opportunities that don’t come along very often, and if you would ever be so fortunate and blessed to have another opportunity to do it, and for myself it would be for a second time, it would be an opportunity that I would look forward to.
“It would have to be at the right place at the right time, which is what I’ve always said. I try to make decisions [based on] what’s best for my family and myself. Again, somebody would have to offer that opportunity. You’re lucky if you get that. That’s my mindset.
“Anything that was reported about my thinking or my plans or the things that I want to do – the other day I saw that, those things I would say are unfounded. That being said, that’s all I’ll say about it. I love being here and I’m excited to get to work on the Jets and look forward to practicing tomorrow with our guys.”
In other words, the 40-year-old McDaniels is in no rush to take another head coaching job. He will only take a job that guarantees him the security that his family deserves. Teams with poor ownership like the Browns and 49ers need not apply.
If no team offers McDaniels the job that he wants in the next decade, then he’ll likely take over for Belichick- although the league would have to be insane not to give McDaniels another coaching gig in that span of time. Perhaps a team willing to give a head coach a five season leash like the Jaguars or the Bengals or the Packers would be the perfect landing spot.
But McDaniels certainly has given an emphatic response to the question of whether or not he wants a head coaching job: Yes. Yes he does.