The New England Patriots have begun filling out their new coaching staff, hiring Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator. McDaniels has had multiple stints as a head coach and the New England Patriots offensive coordinator. This will be his third time as offensive coordinator and he will work with Drake Maye at quarterback. McDaniels has worked with many quarterbacks, most notably, Tom Brady. But he has also coached the offenses for Matt Cassel, Mac Jones, and others. This hire is interesting because while it is another retread from the Patriots and owner Robert Kraft, it is also an upgrade over their underwhelming offense last season.
Josh McDaniels Coaching History
Josh McDaniels got his coaching start with the Patriots. He was an assistant in 2001 and became the quarterbacks coach after a couple of seasons. Soon after, he was promoted to offensive coordinator and began to call plays for the offense led by Tom Brady. His best season was in 2007 when the Patriots’ offense broke records going undefeated in the regular season. The next year, Brady went down with a torn ACL and McDaniels coached an offense led by Matt Cassel to an 11-5 record. After this, he was hired by the Denver Broncos as head coach.
After two seasons with the Broncos, Josh McDaniels was fired and returned to the Patriots in 2012. This reunited him with Tom Brady and after a few seasons, the second Patriots dynasty began. New England won three Super Bowls in McDaniels second run as offensive coordinator. The offense was successful under McDaniels, but many believed that success was a product of Brady. With a quarterback of his caliber, it is hard not to have an efficient offense. Still, he was the team’s play-caller and had an abundance of success working with Brady.
Josh McDaniels was soon put to the test, however, as Brady left the Patriots. After one season with an injury-riddled Cam Newton, New England drafted Mac Jones. McDaniels was tasked with inserting the rookie into the offense and he did it seamlessly. Jones has not developed into the quarterback many thought he could be, but his first season under McDaniels was easily his best. In the 2021 season, the Patriots went 10-7 and made the playoffs. The offense scored over 40 points three times and has not done so once since then. Josh McDaniels may be a successful head coach, but the Jones and the Patriots offense fell off a cliff once he left.
A Retread Hire
Josh McDaniels has proven himself as a successful offensive coordinator. But there is some concern with the Kraft ownership choosing another retread hire over finding new blood. The Patriots seem married to the idea of the “Patriot Way,” even with the departure of Bill Belichick. Mike Vrabel, Jerod Mayo, Matt Patricia, Bill O’Brien, and Josh McDaniels are all former New England players and coaches that the organization has cycled through over the years. With a roster and team in need of an overhaul, some fans doubt the organization because they keep bringing back the same coaches and players after they fail elsewhere.
Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye
Even if some are unhappy with the retread hire, Josh McDaniels is an undeniable upgrade for the Patriots’ offense. Their former coordinator, Alex Van Pelt, had a valuable hand in the development of Drake Maye and Joe Milton, but struggled with running an efficient offense. The possibility of Maye and McDaniels working together is intriguing, especially with the promise Maye showed in his rookie season. Maye is a different quarterback, as he is more mobile than the pocket passers Josh McDaniels has coached. But hopefully, the team can find a balance to run a successful offense that showcases Maye’s immense talents.
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