NFL Rumors: Josh McDaniels Could Return to Patriots if Bill Belichick Stays in NE

It remains to be seen whether Bill Belichick will be back with the New England Patriots for the 2024 season, but he reportedly might bring back a familiar name if he does return.

According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels "is considered a candidate to return" to New England if Belichick is still the head coach.

This season was McDaniels' second as the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but he was fired after just eight games in 2023. In all, he went 9-16 as the head coach of Las Vegas, which was even worse than when he went 11-17 as the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010.

Yet he found plenty of success as New England's offensive coordinator during two separate stints.

He was the offensive coordinator from 2006-08 and helped the Patriots reach a Super Bowl and was then the offensive coordinator again from 2012-21 during a stretch of incredible success that saw the team win three Lombardi Trophies and reach another Super Bowl.

While Tom Brady deserves plenty of credit for all those trophies, McDaniels was intimately involved. Howe noted McDaniels "has long been one of [team owner Robert] Kraft's favorite members of the organization."

The Patriots could certainly use an offensive boost after going a combined 12-22 the past two seasons.

Former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia was in charge of the offense in 2022, while Bill O'Brien had the position this season. The Patriots were 17th in the league in points per game in 2022 and then fell to tied for last with the Carolina Panthers this past season.

Mac Jones looks like anything but the franchise quarterback after he was benched, and the 2024 campaign could be the start of a new era if New England selects a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick of the upcoming draft.

Perhaps McDaniels will be in charge of that new direction.