When Josh McDaniels backed out of a deal to become the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts last season, it was widely assumed that he was committing to the New England Patriots for the long-term. A report over the weekend cast some doubt on that, but Tom Brady hinted that it still remains the case.
On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that McDaniels is “open to potential head coaching opportunities” and will be a name to watch with the Cleveland Browns’ job. Brady seemed to throw cold water on that report in his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan Show.”
"Josh is the best in the league at what he does, he is under contract with our team for a long time." Tom Brady on Josh McDaniels
— Kirk & Callahan (@KirkAndCallahan) November 5, 2018
The details of McDaniels’ contract with the Patriots have not been made public, so it is unusual for Brady to comment on them. However, it was widely reported that Robert Kraft gave McDaniels a raise and made him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in football. Many also believe McDaniels’ decision to bail on the Colts is a sign that Bill Belichick does not plan to coach all that much longer in New England.
Brady and McDaniels have a great relationship, so it’s possible — if not likely — that Kraft convinced McDaniels to stay because Brady and Belichick have been on rocky ground over the past couple of seasons. There’s another theory as to why Kraft may have talked McDaniels into sticking around, but it would be a surprise if the Brady-Belichick rift did not play a role.
