Could McDaniels still end up being the Cleveland coach?

Reuters

He hasn’t quite pulled a Nick Saban, but Josh McDaniels has come close on the subject of possibly leaving the Patriots to take over the Browns.

Well, I’ll definitely be here,” McDaniels told reporters on Tuesday when addressing the decision to withdraw his name from consideration for the Browns job.

At least one league insider thinks there’s still a chance that McDaniels won’t be in New England in 2014, and that as the Browns’ coaching search continues to meander, the guy who reportedly pulled his name once he was told he wasn’t the front runner could still become the front runner.

For now, McDaniels will focus on preparing to face the franchise that fired him during his second season as head coach.  And with his official position being that he’ll be back next year, the coaches and the players won’t have to worry about being asked a bunch of questions about whether McDaniels will become the third Belichick assistant to become the head coach of the first NFL team Belichick coached.

And if the Browns eventually decide to offer McDaniels a large pile of money to become a head coach once again, McDaniels could have a tough decision to make.

35 responses to “Could McDaniels still end up being the Cleveland coach?

  1. I said this a week ago when he “withdrew” his name from contention. It’s this front office pulling the wool over the fans’ eyes just like when they did all of this “searching” for a GM without any indication the hated Mike Lombardi was even being considered. Then, boom, they hired Mike Lombardi just like everyone expected when they started. McDaniels will be the next Cleveland coach as soon as New England loses its next game.

  2. The “opportunities” happen every year. Seems like 6 to 8 coaches get fired every year, so sticking around to learn from a good HC seems like the thing to do.

    There’s no need to grab at it every year.

  3. This guy may end up being good… but as with Schwartz… the image they project just flat works against them.

    Relax and try being likable… until you prove something… then you can try and Johnson, Parcels, Belichek, and Saban ‘it’.

    You can’t pull it off until you earn it, Josh hasn’t.

  4. He is still quite young, has a good job at Pats if he stays another year, and it’s hard to believe there won’t be better HC openings next year. After sending a HC packing after one year, I imagine any prospective candidate would be very wary. How could anyone trust this organization?

  5. McDaniels won’t be the frontrunner until Gase withdraws his name for consideration. That make him the #2 frontrunner for those keeping score.

  6. Josh will probably be the head coach in Cleveland. Cleveland isn’t all that interested in Josh. Josh doesn’t want to be the head coach in Cleveland in any case. Josh is happy as OC in New England. Josh will remain as OC in New England. Josh is just waiting for a better offer to become HC of Cleveland. Browns really want Josh as their HC and will make him a better offer. Josh will be Brown’s HC……

    Just from following the reports I think you guys will end up being right.

  7. Why not spend the next few years as an OC in New England, rack up experience and quality playoff runs and wait for a good team, possibly even the Patriots at some point, to be ready to replace their retiring HC. I have a hard time believing taking a job with the Browns who fired Chud after 1 season is better than having Brady and Belichick around for a few years and possibly winning another Super Bowl or 2 while waiting for a top job..

  8. no way is he going to that dead end job. Nobody that takes it is ever hired as a HC again

  9. And knowing the way the Browns operate, Mcdaniels would be back in NE in 2016 after getting fired.

    Although, the Browns, thanks to the dopey colts (and tons of cap room), have a great shot at a 1 year rebuild if they play their cards right. Even though the Browns will probably mess it up, they do have a golden opportunity this off-season

  10. All things point towards Adam Gase. What I’d like to know is what makes the Front Office so sure that Gase will accept the interview…let alone take the job. After the front office disgraced themselves by firing Chud, no PROVEN coach will come to Cleveland until Dumbardi and Dr. No are fired by Haslam.

  11. McD would love to beat the Donks this weekend. That’s one of a few amusing subplots. If the Broncos lose Welker’s choice to go to Denver is another. Especially if Edelman were to play better than Welker in the game.

  12. Let the browns have him. I’m a pats fan my whole life and I can’t stand this guy. He was involved in the pats spy gate issue in 2007. Then goes to Denver as a head coach and gets caught again for the same thing. People always blame Belicheck for everything but this guy had a big hand of both of these scandals

  13. Haslam should be ashamed of the embarrassment that this current organization has brought upon a once great franchise. 5 Pro Bowlers and $40 million cap space and10 draft picks and hey want to look at another inexperienced coordinator. Should have kept Chud, way to go Banner and Lombardiboth a big joke.

  14. This is a no-brainer. Stay until Brady retires, then go. Even if there’s no job. Go take a year off. Be part of the end of greatness and then take the lessons and get a HC job then.

  15. I don’t get why they’re so interested in McDaniels and Adam Gase. We all know how McDaniels failed his first time as a HC, and Adam Gase is a product of Manning (technically, Manning is the OC anyway).

  16. Some dumb team is going to again pay a lot of money for a guy who won’t be able to bring Brady and Belicheat with him. This is why I still think the browns are in the running.

  17. knowerofallthings says:

    no way is he going to that dead end job. Nobody that takes it is ever hired as a HC again
    ====================================

    Is this a Redskins article?

  18. Mcdaniels is not the best coordinator on the patriots staff perhaps the other side of the balls coordinator should be getting consideration. Mcdaniels is already a proven failure and he can not draft a qb and Cleveland’s primary need is a franchise qb… Mcdaniels has Brady and does enough to get by… Patricia has nothing

  19. Well I’m not a big fan of McDaniels as an HC candidate, but he’s at least young and aggressive and would be better than going with some lesser exciting options that they could choose instead. He might be able to help the Browns. Just don’t let him handle the draft. I’d rather trust Lombardi to pick the players than taking any chances with whatever creative personnel ideas he has.

  20. Considering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame includes acts like Madonna, ABBA, and The Hollies … Cleveland deserves Tim Tebow and the circus act that comes with him.

  21. waldoampere says:
    Jan 14, 2014 8:05 PM
    Uh-oh Browns fans, can Tebow be far behind.
    ================================
    In that very same 2010 draft, McDaniels also selected Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, JD Walton, and Zane Beadles. Broncos fans should have no complaints with what McDaniels left them with. Tebow was a bad miss. Belichick also had some major misses in his day (Tommy Vardell) and he worked out okay as second hire coach.

  22. With McDaniels, you kind of have to assume that the biggest issue in bringing him in is final say over the roster. Every report out of his head coaching tenure was that he was a total control freak. Cleveland might want him for his offense but with three big egos in the front office, no one is willing to give him the ability to buy the groceries he’s going to be cooking with.

  23. So here’s basically what Clevelands choices seem to be and why both aren’t actually bad choices.

    Adam Gase: If Cleveland hired him he’d be the 3rd former Payton Manning assistant to get a head coaching job in the last two seasons (behind Mike McCoy who lead his team deep into the playoffs and new Lions coach Jim Caldwell). This hire would pretty much guarantee that Cleveland is going all in on QB in the draft and backs up the reports that Johnny Manziel is probably the front offices next target. He has already confirmed he will interview with Cleveland once Denver’s season is over to the Denver press so good chance he’s their guy.

    Josh McDaniels: The guy seems to know his stuff as far as the X’s and 0’s go and got a Denver team with a revolving door at QB deep into the playoffs as well. Also the only coach able to get a winning record with a sub par but mobile and smart QB. His only downside was in the personnel department which isn’t an issue in Cleveland since no one other than Jimmy Haslam and Joe Banner are making those decisions including the GM’s. This choice would pretty much give Brian Hoyer a 1 year cushion to win the Cleveland starter job.

    Hate to tell some of you but the “Cleveland Stooges” seem to actually have a plan and a halfway decent one.

  24. aquibtalib says:
    Jan 14, 2014 10:12 PM
    Mcdaniels is not the best coordinator on the patriots staff perhaps the other side of the balls coordinator should be getting consideration. Mcdaniels is already a proven failure and he can not draft a qb and Cleveland’s primary need is a franchise qb… Mcdaniels has Brady and does enough to get by… Patricia has nothing

    —-

    While, yea, Patricia is the Pats D-Coord, come one. Does anyone actually believe BB isn’t really in charge of the D? Every time they pan to him, he’s coaching up the D-line or the LBs. I would say that McD has significantly more leeway in what he’s allowed to call without BB’s input then Patricia has, which means more practice at top level decisions.

    I do think McD has the ability to be a good HC. It’s whether he is able to use the knowledge and not let his ego get in the way that will determine how his second chance goes down.

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