After interviewing with the Patriots on Tuesday, it appears it didn’t take long for new head coach Mike Vrabel to make up his mind when it came to Josh McDaniels.
According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, McDaniels is indeed returning to New England as the team’s offensive coordinator, bringing him back for one more stint with the club.
His return certainly makes sense. One of McDaniels’ biggest attributes has been his ability when it’s come to developing young quarterbacks, having had success with players like Matt Cassel, Jacoby Brissett, and most recently, Mac Jones.
That made McDaniels the most qualified choice when it came to whose hands the team should put the future of Drake Maye in, and he’s also the safest option.
For Vrabel, it’s also a smart hire. McDaniels will be able to run the offense on his own, freeing up the new head coach to focus on other aspects of the team as he settles into his first season.
This solidifies the offensive side of the football, with the club still in need of figuring out who will handle the defense under Vrabel heading into 2025.