Josh McDaniels has found a new horse on the coaching carousel.
The Las Vegas Raiders have put in a request to interview the Patriots’ offensive coordinator for their head-coaching opening, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported Thursday, with the hope he interviews with the team this weekend. Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler is an ideal front-office partner for McDaniels in Las Vegas, and if all goes well, the two could be on their way to Nevada, Rapoport reported.
Ziegler has already completed an interview with the team for its vacant general manager spot.
McDaniels is considered a top candidate, per Rapoport. It wouldn’t be the first time this was the case.
McDaniels was, for a brief period of time, the new Indianapolis Colts head coach until he decided he didn’t want the job, instead electing to return to the Patriots early in 2018. The Colts ended up hiring Frank Reich instead, while McDaniels went back to the familiar territory of Bill Belichick’s staff, working with Tom Brady for two more seasons before the future Hall of Famer moved south to Tampa Bay.
McDaniels did a solid job with rookie quarterback Mac Jones in 2021, directing an offense that finished sixth in points per game, eighth in rushing yards per game, 14th in passing yards per game and 15th in total yards per game. New England looked strong enough in the middle portion of the season to potentially make a deep postseason run, but exited the playoffs via blowout loss to Buffalo on Super Wild Card Weekend.
Seeing McDaniels’ name in the head-coaching discussion is nothing new. He’s been a head coach once, manning the role in Denver in 2009 and 2010 before he was fired 12 games into his second season. Since then, he’s been an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Rams (in 2011 when they were in St. Louis) and Patriots.
McDaniels interviewed for the Browns’ head-coaching vacancy in 2020, but was passed over in favor of current Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski. His name routinely pops up nearly every cycle, though he hasn’t made a permanent move since joining the Broncos in 2009.
Las Vegas could finally provide him a destination to give head coaching a second try.