Since Josh McDaniels left the Patriots to become the Raiders' head coach after the 2021 season, New England has had a merry-go-round of offensive coordinators.
Matt Patricia, Alex Van Pelt, and Bill O'Brien didn't exactly instill fear in opposing defenses, and after back-to-back 4-13 seasons, McDaniels is back in New England calling plays.
And that is sitting well with many of the Patriots' players, especially tight end Hunter Henry, whose first year in Foxboro (2021) marked McDaniels' last before his failed head coaching tenure in Las Vegas.
McDaniels is a Patriots pillar, having coached New England's offense during its glory days of dominating the AFC and winning Super Bowls. You're not going to win much if you have four offensive coordinators in four years, and McDaniels' return not only brings zest back to the offense but perhaps some consistency not seen in a while.
Hunter Henry raves over Josh McDaniels' return to New England
The veteran tight end's first season in Foxboro was a strong one, a 50-catch, 603-yard, nine-touchdown output in which Henry was New England's biggest threat in the red zone.
Now that McDaniels is back in New England and quarterback Drake Maye is set up to succeed, thanks to the draft and free agency, Henry understands what the Patriots' offense can accomplish heading into 2025.
“Working with Josh before, he has a tremendous mind,” Henry told MassLive's Karen Guregian. “I learned a lot from him that one year I was with him. So I’m excited to grow with him.”
A big staple of McDaniels' schemes involved utilizing tight ends, which helped turn Rob Gronkowski into a living, breathing matchup nightmare. Now, the Patriots have Henry and Austin Hooper at their disposal, and the presence of guys like Stefon Diggs, TreVeyon Henderson and Kyle Williams should open things up a bit for Henry and Hooper down the seams and in the red zone.
That's also good news for a young, talented quarterback like Maye, as McDaniels will undoubtedly find ways to use Henry and Hooper as security blankets.
The aforementioned 2021 season was Henry's finest as a Patriot, so if the return of McDaniels is any indication, the veteran tight end could be set up for a big season in 2025. And that's welcome news for an offense that needs every jolt of electricity it can get.
The same can be said about Kendrick Bourne, who put together the best season of his career during his first season in New England. He has long been excited about McDaniels' return, joining the list of offensive players that have welcomed him with open arms despite his most recent head coaching failure.