You know an offensive coordinator is a hot head-coaching candidate when he's already getting asked about jobs just three weeks into the season.
"I love where I'm at," Patriots play-caller Josh McDaniels said Monday on WEEI-FM, via The Boston Herald. "I've said before that I think we all have aspirations to grow and get better and improve and potentially move up and what have you, and who knows. Maybe that day happens, maybe it doesn't, but I know this: I'm really thankful that I have the opportunity that I have to coach the players that we have here and to work underneath Bill and Robert and the Kraft family. It's a privilege here."
During the research process for our first coaching NEXT list, we found that McDaniels' name was on the tip of just about everyone's tongue -- and that was before he designed three different game plans for two quarterbacks, helping New England coast to a 3-0 record without Tom Brady.
The scouting report on McDaniels is that he needs some time to interview and wants the right opportunity to come along before jumping ship again. Finding the right combination of personnel and executive management is never easy. And in the meantime, he is absolutely right -- he has one of the best jobs in the NFL.
"I feel like I have one of the best jobs in the world and I'm just thankful that I have the opportunity to come here and do it each week," he said. "It's a great honor to do that and I enjoy it so much going to work with these guys each week."
Almost like ESPN analyst and former head coach Jon Gruden, McDaniels is in a place where his stock can't really drop significantly. Despite his rocky tenure as head coach of the Denver Broncos, McDaniels will always be looked at much like his mentor, Bill Belichick, who flourished with a second chance to be an NFL head coach. McDaniels continues to design top 10 offenses and make the playoffs with an organization that won't dream of letting him go anytime soon. Owners keep angling for the chance to squeeze him in for an interview amid Super Bowl runs. It's hard not to love that.
