Here’s why Josh McCown won’t come to the Patriots as an offensive coordinator
McCown reportedly won't leave Minnesota unless he gets a head coaching job.
The Patriots and Mike Vrabel are in the early stages of hiring assistants and addressing the coaching staff, but there’s already one prominent name that reportedly won’t be interested in New England’s offensive coordinator job.
Josh McCown, the current quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings, is becoming a popular name in NFL circles and is generating legitimate head coaching interest from teams with vacancies in this hiring cycle.
McCown’s name naturally has also been thrown as a potential offensive coordinator, given his status as a well-respected former quarterback and offensive mind. If McCown isn’t offered a head coaching gig, a coordinator job would be a logical step up from his role as a QB coach.
However, if the Patriots were interested in bringing in the former journeyman QB, they’ll have to turn their attention elsewhere. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, McCown has no intentions of leaving the Vikings for anything less than a head coaching gig.
“The next most important hire that the Patriots make will be who are they hiring to influence, mold, and shape the future of their franchise quarterback. It’s a critical hire,” Schefter said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Josh McCown is going to be in Minnesota next year unless he gets a head coaching job.”
McCown had ties to Drake Maye in high school, which helped guide speculation toward that option for the OC role, but Schefter was quick to shoot down that thought.
As for another potential favorite to land New England’s offensive coordinator job, Schefter noted that Josh McDaniels is a strong contender, but added that he is certainly not a lock for the job.
“We’ve heard the name Josh McDaniels. I think that name makes an awful lot of sense. It would be logical, he’s in the Foxborough area,” Schefter said. “But I think Mike Vrabel has got to hear from a lot of different people and make sure that he feels like he’s doing the right thing before he goes and hires whoever he does.”
While McCown is not an option, New England’s coordinator search is well underway. Ian Rapoport reported that the Patriots interviewed current Bears interim coach Thomas Brown for their OC role on Wednesday, so clearly Vrabel is keeping his options open as it pertains to his offensive signal-caller.
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