Josh

McDaniels

We can’t say that comes as a real surprise. McDaniels reportedly completed an interview with the Patriots for their offensive coordinator vacancy today. The former Pats OC from 2006-2008, then again in 2012-2021 obviously has a ton of familiarity with how things operate in New England. The Raiders head coaching role was a tough fit for him and exposed him as a little rigid at times — there were certainly games where Davante Adams disappeared in the process — but he has the best resume of anyone we’ve seen connected to this job. McDaniels did not coach in 2024 after being fired in November 2023. He was tied to the Patriots often last offseason as well. Now we’ll get to see if he can take Drake Maye to the next level in 2025. If the Patriots add some more weapons around Maye, they could be an intriguing fantasy offense next season.

“Yeah,” Vrabel confirmed, per WEEI. “It’s a long list. There’s a long list, and, you know - I’ve had a relationship with Josh, and I’ve had relationships with other offensive coaches and defensive coaches that we’re going to interview and wanna bring in here.” It’s likely that we’ll see some former Texans and Titans — like former Titans OC Tim Kelly — eventually show up on the Patriots interview list. But it would be hard for Patriots fans to be disappointed in landing McDaniels given how well that worked for so many years, even after the team moved on from Tom Brady.

The twice-failed head coach was at his best when he was calling plays for the Patriots offense from 2006-2008 and again from 2012-2021. Of course, a lot as changed since then, as several key members of those Patriots teams have left, most notably Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. However, with a familiar face now back in the building in head coach Mike Vrabel, it should come as no surprise that McDaniels will have a chance to return to Foxborough for a third stint as the team’s offensive coordinator. A chance to be paired with second-year quarterback Drake Maye could be an enticing one for McDaniels, but this offense is still in need of massive overhaul before having a chance to be competitive.

Belichick’s sons, Steve and Brian, could also be part of the package. McDaniels, who was fired as Raiders head coach this fall, would seem like a lock to be Belichick’s offensive coordinator in Atlanta. Matt Patricia, meanwhile, if fresh off stepping in to coach the league’s worst defense after joining Judge to coach the league’s worst offense in 2022. It wouldn’t be a surprise for Belichick to bring in quarterbacks like Brian Hoyer and Jimmy Garoppolo — players steeped in the Patriot Way. It all suggests a coach who is unwilling to change anything about his approach to the game after years of struggling without Tom Brady at the helm.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft had an “initial meeting” with head coach Bill Belichick Monday, after which it was noted that former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could return to the team should Belichick stay. Callahan goes on to note that McDaniels could serve as assistant head coach for the Patriots in that scenario. There is still a lot to work out and still a lot of time to do so, but it’s interesting to hear two reports within 24 hours regarding present and former New England coaches interested in a return to the team after Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said he would be interested in returning to New England as the head coach if Belichick left this offseason.

It only took 25 games for Raiders owner Mark Davis to decide another ride on the coaching carousel would be more fun than watching McDaniels coach another game for the Silver and Black. McDaniels’ time with the team ended overnight, as Davis dismissed the Belichick disciple hours after the trade deadline and a day after an embarrassing 26-14 loss to the Lions. A loss to the Bears and rookie UDFA Tyson Bagent in Week 7 probably didn’t help his case, either. There’s also that whole “only coach to lose to Jeff Saturday” thing. A 6-11 season in his first year with the team led to Derek Carr being the scapegoat at the end of the season, with Jimmy Garoppolo — another Patriots connection, being tabbed as the man to lead the Raiders to the promised land. That’s gone about as well as expected. Through eight games, the Raiders are 31st in yards per game and 30th in points per game, with Garoppolo throwing for 1205-7-9. The defense isn’t much better, ranking 22nd in points allowed while getting thrashed on the ground to the tune of 140.6 yards per game. McDaniels was eight games into the second year of a six-year contract, and is still owed what’s left on that deal. In addition to McDaniels, the Raiders also fired GM Dave Ziegler, who joined the team in January 2022. Linebackers coach Antonio Pierce has been promoted to interim head coach and will get his first test in Week 9 against the Giants.

The Raiders signed Carr to a three-year extension in April. While it’s unlikely they move on from Carr a year after he recruited WR Davante Adams to Vegas, Carr’s deal has no guarantees left. Releasing him would leave only $5 million in dead money. The Raiders project for a top-five pick, giving them a chance to draft Carr’s replacement, and there are rumors of HC Josh McDaniels reuniting with ex-Patriots QB Tom Brady this offseason. The Raiders have until three days after the Super Bowl to make a decision on Carr. Carr has a $32.9 million base salary next year and would be owed a guaranteed $7.5 million in 2024 if he’s on the post-February roster.

McDaniels added that he spoke with Carr the day before his introductory press conference but looks forward to meeting him in person. Though we remain a long way from the start of the 2022 season, it sounds like Carr has the backing of his new head coach and Dave Ziegler, the Raiders’ newly-hired general manager. This lines up with similar reports that leaked before McDaniels was hired. Carr has one year left on his contract and is undoubtedly eying an extension after making the playoffs. A good relationship with the new faces in Las Vegas is a good start to his pursuit of a massive payday.

Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, and Maxx Crosby spoke glowingly of Rich Bisaccia’s leadership in the days before the Raiders hired McDaniels as their next head coach. Bisaccia, a real football guy who endeared himself to players and fans, helped right the Raiders ship after Jon Gruden was fired following the publication of racist emails. He led Vegas to an improbable playoff berth and fell just short of upsetting the Bengals in the Wild Card round. Tafur reported the Raiders “coaching staff was disappointed and a little bitter” by the news of McDaniels’ hiring. McDaniels, whose first head coaching stint (with Denver) was an abject disaster, has a lot of trust-earning to do in the coming weeks and months. “The players will get over it. They always do,” Tafur said. “They have no choice. They will meet McDaniels and be optimistic by training camp.”

Schefter noted that the two sides are finalizing a contract but the deal has been all but done for some time now. Once Davie Ziegler, the Patriots’ director of player personnel, was inked as the Raiders’ next GM, McDaniels was sure to follow. McDaniels was reportedly a big supporter of Ziegler when Nick Caserio left New England and opened the de facto GM role. The two were seemingly a package deal for the Raiders, who made Ziegler their first GM interview while McDaniels was strongly rumored to be their top coaching option. McDaniels flopped as the head coach of the Broncos, going 11-17 from 2009 to the middle of the 2010 season. Though he seemed in over his head then, McDaniels has had a decade to learn at the altar of Bill Belichick. After getting back into the playoffs with a rookie quarterback at the helm, McDaniels was bound to get a second crack at leading a team.