Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has devised game plans for two different backup quarterbacks in the first three weeks of the season and the Patriots have won all three of their games, which is the sort of thing that could be appealing to teams looking for a new head coach once the 2016 season comes to an end.
It’s way too early to know which teams may be taking part in those searches, but McDaniels’ previous success putting together the offense in New England only makes it likelier that they’ll be gauging his interest in a second spin as a head coach.
McDaniels has been mentioned as a candidate in the past couple of offseasons without anything developing. He sounds open to the idea while making it clear he’s happy as a member of Bill Belichick’s staff.
“I love where I’m at,” McDaniels said on WEEI. “I’ve said before that I think we all have aspirations to grow and get better and improve and eventually move up and what have you. Who knows? Maybe that day happens, maybe it doesn’t. But I know this, is I’m really thankful I have the opportunity I have to coach the players that we have here, and to work underneath Bill and Robert [Kraft] and the Kraft family. It’s a privilege here. I feel like I have one of the best jobs in the world. I’m just thankful I have an opportunity to come here and do it each week. It’s a great honor to do that. Like I said, I enjoy it so much working with these guys here each week.”
McDaniels’ run as the Broncos head coach wasn’t a great success, but teams need only look to his boss (or the guy who beat his boss in two Super Bowls) for an example of a coach who improved in his second time running the whole show. The questions for McDaniels will likely be whether any of the openings are of interest and whether teams will wait for him if New England takes another deep playoff run.