Report: Josh McDaniels 'Assured' He'll Be Patriots HC When Bill Belichick Leaves

Assurances regarding the future of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick helped Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels decide to turn down the Indianapolis Colts' offer to be their head coach, ESPN.com's Mike Reiss reported Tuesday.

Benjamin Allbright of 104.7 in Denver also reported McDaniels has received a commitment from the Patriots he'll succeed Belichick when the legendary head coach steps down.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported McDaniels had walked away from the Colts, who had confirmed earlier in the day they had reached an agreement on a contract and would formally announce the hiring Wednesday.

Immediately after Schefter's report, some wondered if McDaniels was replacing Belichick outright in 2018. According to Reiss, McDaniels would've been more likely to leave New England if he thought Belichick was on the way out.

Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith argued remaining with the Patriots is the best move for McDaniels:

McDaniels' decision doesn't come without some human cost, though, as he had already started putting together a coaching staff to join him in Indianapolis:

As ruthless as the reversal was, being the head-coach-in-waiting in New England is a better opportunity for McDaniels. The Colts haven't had a winning season since 2014, and Andrew Luck is recovering from a shoulder injury that wiped out his entire 2017 season. Luck's status casts a big shadow over the entire team.

In New England, McDaniels can stay in a place where he's comfortable, and even if there isn't some sort of handshake agreement between himself and team owner Robert Kraft, McDaniels would be a natural replacement for Belichick.

Plus, Belichick will turn 66 in April and has been coaching in the NFL since 1975. He can't keep going forever, so McDaniels may not have to wait too many more years before he's New England's head coach.