How Josh McDaniels could reportedly return to the Patriots
If the Patriots make a change at offensive coordinator, they could go back to a familiar face.
When Jerod Mayo is officially introduced as the Patriots’ next head coach on Wednesday, one of his first orders of business will be to determine what his coaching staff looks like.
The biggest decision will likely come at offensive coordinator. Bill O’Brien is still under contract, but if both parties decide not to continue their partnership, Josh McDaniels is expected to be at the top of Mayo’s list to potentially be the next offensive coordinator, NFL Media’s Mike Garofolo reported Saturday.
The news of a potential McDaniels-Patriots reunion first emerged earlier in the week. If Bill Belichick was going to stay in New England for the 2024 season, there were discussions that McDaniels could return to the organization in some capacity, The Athletic‘s Jeff Howe reported Monday.
Of course, Belichick is no longer with the franchise, throwing a wrench into that possible plan. But McDaniels has been seen around Gillette Stadium over the last week. He attended the Patriots’ regular-season finale against the Jets as a VIP guest. He was also at Belichick’s goodbye press conference on Thursday.
O’Brien was rehired by the Patriots following a brutal 2022 season for the team’s offense with longtime defensive coach Matt Patricia calling the plays for the unit. However, the Patriots’ offensive production in 2023 was worse than it was the year prior, dropping from 26th in total yards to 30th and ranking tied for last in points scored.
Still, O’Brien has an accomplished past. He was the Patriots’ offensive coordinator in 2011, when they were among the top three in yards and scoring.
O’Brien also had a brief, but successful tenure as Penn State’s head coach for two seasons before becoming the Texans’ head coach in 2014. Houston had a couple of seasons where it struggled offensively under O’Brien, but he helped develop quarterback Deshaun Watson into one of the game’s top passers.
Mac Jones didn’t have the turnaround that Patriots owner Robert Kraft hoped for when they rehired him though. He actually regressed in 2023, throwing for 2,120 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a 77 passer rating before being benched for the final six games of the season.
On the other end, McDaniels got Jones to play the best football of his three-year career as a rookie in 2021. Jones threw 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions with a 92.5 passer rating that season, leading the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth.
McDaniels’s work with Jones that season helped him get the Raiders’ head coaching job. His time in Las Vegas ended quicker than his first stint as a head coach though, getting fired in October after the Raiders got off to a 3-5 start.
The Raiders reportedly gave McDaniels a six-year deal worth approximately $10 million per year when they hired him in 2022, owing him roughly $40 million as a result. It’s unclear how long O’Brien’s current contract with the Patriots is, but he previously had a two-year deal at Alabama before returning to New England.
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