The New England Patriots will look to improve to 4-2 on the season when they take their show on the road to take on the New Orleans Saints this Sunday.
After some early hiccups, the offense is steadily improving under second-year quarterback Drake Maye. After having Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator last season, Josh McDaniels returned for his third stint with the Patriots in that role, joining Mike Vrabel's coaching staff.
With McDaniels enjoying early success with Maye as his QB, it shouldn't be surprising to hear questions coming his way concerning what his future in New England will hold. Given he has already left the Patriots on two separate occasions to take jobs elsewhere within the league, it is a fair question to ask. Fortunately for Maye, the response McDaniels is giving to those inquiries should be music to his ears.
Josh McDaniel's Hints at Staying with Patriots
When asked about his future in coaching and whether or not he'd look for another head coach job, McDaniels answered by talking about his love of New England. He added that he didn't see himself moving his kids from Westwood.
"I love living in New England," McDaniels replied, via Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. "That's the short of it. I just try to focus on now, really enjoying coaching for Mike. ...That would be surprising if I moved my kids out of Westwood."
McDaniels has been a staple of the Patriots organization for decades, first joining the team in 2001 as a personnel assistant. Over the next few years, he'd slowly work his way up the ranks until he'd officially be named as the team's Offensive coordinator in 2006. Following the 2008 season, McDaniels left to take the Denver Broncos' Head coaching job, where he lasted until December 2010.
After a one-season stint with the St. Louis Rams, McDaniels returned to New England in 2012 as offensive coordinator and QB coach, helping the Patriots win three more Super Bowls. Following the 2021 season, McDaniels would accept the head coaching job for the Las Vegas Raiders. During his second season, McDaniels was fired following a 3-5 start.
McDaniels took a year off from coaching after his time with the Raiders, but is back with the Patriots and gets to work with potential franchise QB Drake Maye. The results have been promising so far, with the offense looking much improved from a year ago. While Maye and McDaniels both deserve credit, free agent signing Stefon Diggs has helped elevate this offense as well.
Keeping McDaniels in New England would be the best-case scenario for Maye, as it provides him with stability at the offensive coordinator position. The best way to help a young QB grow is for them to have continuity with the coaches who help make them successful. Given his track record, McDaniels seems to be more interested in remaining in an area he loves rather than chasing another job elsewhere. If that's the case, Drake Maye and Patriots fans should be excited for what's to come.