The New England Patriots are preparing for yet another potential run to the Super Bowl, and their offensive coordinator is once again generating plenty of interest among teams with head coaching vacancies.
The Cleveland Browns have requested permission to interview McDaniels for their head coaching job, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. McDaniels is also expected to receive a call from the Carolina Panthers.
Cleveland Browns requested permission to interview Patriots’ OC Josh McDaniels for their head-coaching vacancy, per source. Panthers also expected to request interview.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 30, 2019
Because of the Patriots’ stunning loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, McDaniels is now preparing for a Wild Card game against the Tennessee Titans. Assuming the Pats grant the Browns permission and McDaniels wants to interview for the job, it would have to wait until next week.
McDaniels has been linked to a number of head coaching jobs over the years, and this is not the first time we have heard him connected to the Browns. The 43-year-old is from the Cleveland area and supposedly was high on Baker Mayfield when the quarterback was coming out of Oklahoma, so he may have interest in the job.
That said, McDaniels has turned down some opportunities in favor of remaining in New England as offensive coordinator. Many believe he is basically the coach-in-waiting with the Patriots, though there has been no indication that Bill Belichick intends to retire anytime soon.
McDaniels infamously backed out of an agreement to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts two years ago, and he probably feels even better about that decision now that Andrew Luck has retired. His only stint as a head coach came in 2009 and 2010 with the Denver Broncos, and that did not go well. McDaniels turned down an interview request from at least one team last year, and he probably will not leave the Patriots unless he views something as a near-perfect opportunity.
