Josh McDaniels opens up on why he ditched the Colts to stay with the Patriots

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels spurned the Indianapolis Colts head coaching vacancy this offseason, much to the outrage of nearly everyone. The Boston Globe spoke with McDaniels, who shared his side of the story for the first time.

“I wasn’t 100 percent sure what the future was [with the Patriots],” McDaniels said. “I just hadn’t had any clarity on that. So, where did I fit in? Were there any plans? I just didn’t have much clarity on what my role was here moving forward.’’

“Once I heard from Robert and Bill on that Tuesday [after the Super Bowl], it just gave me reason to pause and consider this whole situation,” McDaniels added.

The Patriots offensive coordinator had one year remaining on his contract with the Patriots and worked with team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick to resolve any of his questions. McDaniels said the opportunity to work with “the greatest owner in sports and the best head football coach in the history of our game, [and] to work with the best quarterback that has ever played” swayed his decision.

There is no guarantee that McDaniels will be the heir to Bill Belichick, nor is there any additional clarity on what his future holds. Previous reports explained how Belichick agreed to teach McDaniels more about the leadership aspects of running a team, beyond coaching, which could strengthen McDaniels’ skill set.

McDaniels also said that providing his family a consistent home in New England wasn’t a reason for his decision.

“My family was ready to go to Indianapolis because at that point that was the decision I had made. So, this isn’t a thing where I’m telling you, ‘I couldn’t move and all that’ — that’s not the case. If that were the case I wouldn’t interview,’’ he said. “They’re very supportive. My wife’s incredible, my kids are great. Do they love New England? Absolutely . . . And have we been blessed to be part of this organization? No doubt. But I’d say in the long run, this coaching profession is kind of crazy. And they know that.

“And at some point, if I have to move or if we end up moving, they understand that’s part of the situation and they were ready to do that.’’