Report: Josh McDaniels Not Interviewing For Head Coach Jobs While Patriots Are In Playoffs
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Nearly a third of the NFL is already looking for a new head coach. But New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels isn't going to throw his visor into the mix just yet.
Not until the Patriots' season comes to an end.
Though several head coaching gigs opened up over the last few days, McDaniels has his sights set on Saturday night's Wild Card matchup with the Buffalo Bills. He will not be interviewing for any job until New England's season comes to an end, according to Aaron Wilson of SportsTalk 790 in Houston.
"Highly regarded New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is focused solely on his preparations for a Saturday night AFC wild-card playoff game against the Buffalo Bills and he is not expected to pursue any head coaching opportunities during the postseason, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly," Wilson reported Thursday.
While it has been fairly quiet on the McDaniels front, Wilson is reporting that there is "significant interest" in the Patriots' OC around the league. The Chicago Bears, Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants are among the teams believed to be considering McDaniels as their next head coach.
While McDaniels has a good relationship with current Houston Texans GM Nick Caserio, New England's former director of player personnel and McDaniels' roommate at John Carroll University, he isn't expected to pursue Houston's head coaching job. That is now open after the Texans fired David Culley on Thursday.
McDaniels is the highest paid coordinator in the NFL, but he has expressed interest in another shot as a head coach after his failed stint with the Broncos from 2009-10. He had an agreement to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018, but called an audible at the last second and returned to New England.
There are currently seven openings in the NFL, with the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears, Vikings, Giants, Jaguars and Texans all looking for a new head coach. The Las Vegas Raiders may also be in the market for a new head coach when their season comes to an end, with Rich Bisaccia currently serving in that role in an interim basis.