New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is once again a hot commodity this coaching carousel. Yes, even despite the fact that he crashed and burned as Head Coach of the Denver Broncos. In 2015, he is the re-treadiest of all the NFL re-treads. Perhaps he’s learned a few new coaching life lessons, the hard way, during his Broncos regime?
McDaniels been linked to the open San Francisco 49ers and Atlanta Falcons gigs.
Still, I’m not buying it. Vic Fangio is the leading candidate with the Niners. ย Here are a few more in the running.ย
In the end, I bet Josh McDaniels takes action that proverbially emulate the Kenny Rogers ballad “though the years,” with Bill Belichick being the person he’s metaphorically singing the lyrics to, when he turns down these head coaching gigs.
McDaniels to Belichick: “the sweetest days I found, I found with you, through the years. I’ve loved the life we’ve made, I’ve never been afraid.”
“I swear, you’ve taught me everything I know, can’t imagine needing someone so, but through the years it seems, I need you more and more”
“As long as it’s okay, I’ll stay right here with you, through the years.”
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport On New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels:
โThere is a lot of interest in Josh McDaniels. During the window that he could actually speak with teams, he spoke to the majority of teams that have openings, and two in particular are waiting to see the outcome of todayโs game to see if they could speak with Josh McDaniels. One of those teams is the San Francisco 49ers who did talk to him, who have a lot of interest in him and would like him to come in and fix their quarterback position.
Plus, he has the added bonus of the ability to keep their defensive staff in place, including respected defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The other team that has shown a lot of interest in McDaniels is the Atlanta Falcons. They just shook up their front office; elevated Thomas Dimitroff, elevated Scott Pioli โ two guys very familiar and very much in the corner of Josh McDaniels.”
Rex Ryan was the front-runner for the Falcons head coaching positionย but of course he ended up taking the Buffalo Bills gig instead. The Falcons could now land John Fox; should he not take the Chicago Bears job. For what it’s worth, SI’s Peter King said on the NBC pregame show before the Patriots defeated the Ravens, how he believes Josh McDaniels isn’t going anywhere in the end.
Kings believes that McDaniels belongs right there with Belichick; through the years.
Paul M. Banksย owns, operates and writesย The Sports Bank.net, which isย partnered withย Fox Sports, Yardbarker Network, eBay and CBS Interactive Inc.ย You can read Banks’ feature stories in the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition and listen to him on KOZN 1620 The Zone. Follow him onย Twitter (@paulmbanks)