Everyone assumed it was going to go this way, but Josh McDaniels has confirmed it. He will be sticking around as the New England Patriots Offensive Coordinator for the 2019 season.

During his weekly conference call, ESPN quotes McDaniels as saying that, "The book is closed...I'm completely focused on the Chargers and our season and finishing it strong. And I'll be here moving forward."

McDaniels did have one interview for a head coaching job when he talked to the Green Bay Packers last week. Whether or not he would have taken the job had it been offered to him we won't know, but Green Bay decided to fill their vacancy with Tennessee Titans OC Matt LaFleur.

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In regards to that interview McDaniels said:

"It's always a humbling experience to have an opportunity to interview with anybody for that position. I was thankful for the opportunity to meet with Green Bay; it always gives you greater insight into another organization of how they do things. It's been very educational for me every time I've gone through it and I've appreciated every single one of them."

ESPN is also reporting that McDaniels had the chance to interview for the head coaching position in Cincinnati, but declined to pursue the job with the Bengals.

On the conference call, the questions came up regarding how the situation with the Indianapolis Colts last year may have affected his opportunities this year.

Last year McDaniels interviewed for the then-vacant head coach position with the Colts and was offered the job. McDaniels verbally agreed to take the job but then backed out a few days later in order to stay on in his role as OC with the Patriots.

McDaniels response to the aforementioned question was:

"I have no idea. You'd have to obviously ask them if that had anything to do with anything like that... I'm grateful for the opportunity I had, but obviously more importantly thankful for the opportunity that I have here. I've said before, I think I have one of the best jobs in the world. I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue competing this week against the Chargers."

 

What This Means

After he pulled out of his verbal agreement with the Colts last year it seemed like McDaniels was deciding to stick around New England with the hope of taking over the head coaching job there when Bill Belichick retires (was he given some kind of guarantee by owner Robert Kraft that that would happen, we don't know).

The way he is talking and by turning down head coaching interviews it seems to be reinforcing that assumption. Although, when Belichick retires, Tom Brady probably won't be there anymore either — so, how good a job will that be to have at that point?

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