Ever since Josh McDaniels joined Bill Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots in the early 2000s, he has become one of the league’s most highly regarded offensive coordinators. Despite his success as a play-caller, McDaniels has struggled in multiple head coaching roles.
Here’s a closer look at his career and everything to know about the Patriots’ OC heading into Super Bowl Sunday.
Josh McDaniels’ Head Coaching Tenures and Career Stops
McDaniels’ first head coaching opportunity came with the Denver Broncos in 2009. He was a highly sought-after candidate during that year’s hiring cycle. Although New England fell in the Wild Card round the year prior, McDaniels helped establish the Patriots’ offense as one of the league’s best units
The franchise won three Super Bowls between 2001 and 2009, when McDaniels joined and operated on the staff. He was unable to maintain his success in Denver. After an impressive 6-0 start, the Broncos lost eight of their final 10 games, finishing 8-8 and missing the playoffs.
The lack of momentum carried over into 2010, as McDaniel’s group went 3-9 to start the season. Denver’s organization and staff clearly had had enough, as the team announced they would be parting ways with the second-year head coach following the poor start.
McDaniels returned to the Patriots in 2012, where he spent another 10 seasons with his original franchise. He appeared in eight straight AFC Championship Games and won three more Lombardi Trophies during that stretch.
There was one hiccup following the 2017-18 season. McDaniels was set to sign with the Indianapolis Colts as their new head coach. After a sudden turn of events, he backed out of the agreement, leaving NFL general managers and fans frustrated.
Four years later, in 2022, more than a decade after his stint in Denver, McDaniels got another shot. The Raiders signed him to a six-year, $60 million deal. The results were similar to his time in Denver. Las Vegas finished 6-11, and McDaniels again failed to reach the playoffs as a head coach.
The 2023 season showed minimal improvement, as the Raiders started 3-5 through eight games. The team then announced McDaniels would be released, the second midseason firing of his career.
McDaniels took a year off during the 2024 season to regroup, and it may have been the best decision he has made. Mike Vrabel offered him the Patriots’ OC position, and McDaniels has not looked back.
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The Patriots ranked second among all units according to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric. The team jumped from last in the AFC East (4-13) to first (14-3). More notably, the Patriots defeated multiple tough defensive units in this year’s postseason run, taking down the Chargers, Texans, and Broncos.
Now, just one win away from securing the Vince Lombardi Trophy, McDaniels and his offense will look to deliver another strong performance.
If he and the Patriots can defeat the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, it would mark the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl title and McDaniels’ seventh as offensive coordinator, solidifying him as one of the best play-callers of all time.
