The New England Patriots’ head coaching picks were a familiar face, and Mike Vrabel kept that trend going with his hiring of offensive coordinators heading into the 2025 season.
The Patriots are expected to reunite with Josh McDaniels as their offensive coordinator, a role he previously held in the organization, according to multiple reports. Barstool Sports first reported that McDaniels return to the Patriots was imminent.
This will be the third time McDaniels returns to the Patriots, though the first with Vrabel at the helm and quarterback Drake Maye, who has been developed after his rookie campaign in 2024.
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New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels looks on against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
McDaniels was among the offensive coordinator candidates the Patriots interviewed, which included Chicago Bears passing game coordinator Thomas Brown and Los Angeles Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady, according to ESPN.
McDaniels was out for 2024 after being fired mid-season by the Las Vegas Raiders during the 2023 campaign. He was also the head coach in 2022, but things didn’t work out and owner Mark Davis made the call to move on.
While the Raiders continue to search for their own head coach following the firing of Antonio Pierce, who served on an interim basis after McDaniels’ departure in 2023, the Patriots found their guy in Vrabel after parting ways with Jerod Mayo after his first-and-only season.
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Additionally, while Vrabel and McDaniels have never coached together, they have a connection with their time together as a player and coach, respectively, winning three Super Bowls during the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.
McDaniels’ big break in the NFL came with the Patriots in 2001 as an assistant under Belichick. He eventually worked his way up to the point where the Denver Broncos hired him in 2009 to become their next head coach.
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, left, and head coach Bill Belichick walk off the field after the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. (Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports)
However, that was short-lived as McDaniels was fired in December 2010, eventually returning to the Patriots after serving as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator in 2011.
McDaniels would enjoy his time as New England’s coordinator from then until he moved to the Raiders for his second attempt at head coaching. During the 2021 season, McDaniels was also tasked with grooming Mac Jones, the team’s first-round quarterback pick in the NFL Draft, and he would help them clinch a playoff spot.
The Patriots will hope McDaniels can lead the way for Maye, the overall No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, who showed flashes of greatness in his first NFL season despite the team’s overall struggles. Maye threw for 2,276 yards with 15 touchdowns to 10 interceptions with two rushing touchdowns for 421 yards over 12 games.
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels reacts to a play against the Detroit Lions during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit, Monday, Oct. 30, 2023. (IMAGIN)
As Vrabel continues to build his coaching staff this offseason, bringing in a familiar face with an extensive track record could go a long way for a Patriots team that continues to look for its next dynasty.
