This out-of-nowhere Patriots coaching rumor could actually be gaining steam

Back in the thick of the New England Patriots’ heyday, when Mike Vrabel was still suiting up on Sundays, Bill Belichick and the team hung their hats on: “The season starts after Thanksgiving.”

That mindset was clearly imprinted on Vrabel, whose Patriots set a heavy tone against the New York Giants on Monday night, with the whole NFL world watching. 

The physical nature of the Patriots’ 33-15 win inside a rocking Gillette Stadium was impossible to ignore. The monster hits delivered by guys like Christian Elliss and Jaylinn Hawkins throughout the game were one thing, but Vrabel also noticeably had his offense open with a steady dose of Rhamondre Stevenson, with the 227-pound back repeatedly seeking out contact as he finished his runs.

The Patriots sent a clear message to the league. Not only will they (legally) sock you in the mouth, but they’ll turn around and shred you on offense with Drake Maye, who had yet another MVP-level performance.

It all masked one of the most glossed-over storylines from Monday’s game: A banged-up offensive line that kept Maye mostly spotless against one of the top defensive fronts in football. According to Nex Gen Stats, New England allowed a pressure rate of 25 percent — the second-lowest mark of Maye’s career.

The bulk of the credit goes to guys like Vederian Lowe and Ben Brown, who filled in brilliantly for injured starters Will Campbell and Jared Wilson. Offensive line coach Doug Marrone deserves his flowers as well.

But the man scheming everything up behind the scenes, from the protections to the route concepts, is offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The twice-failed NFL head coach hasn't officially been linked to a tanking team, like the Giants, but he's certainly picking up some steam as Maye and the Patriots' offense continue to dominate.

The Patriots’ dreams of a sustained run with Josh McDaniels and Drake Maye might already be crumbling 

Unless you’re Marty Schottenheimer, candidates don’t tend to get a third chance at being a head coach in the NFL. For McDaniels, it could be even tougher, as he’s literally the only coach in NFL history to be fired before his second season by multiple teams.

It’s definitely worth noting, though, that his previous stop was under Mark Davis and the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the NFL’s most dysfunctional franchises. The Raiders hired both McDaniels and then-GM Dave Ziegler to six-year contracts, but the meddling owner couldn’t help himself; he cleaned house right before the 2023 trade deadline.

McDaniels has quickly repaired his image, now in his third separate stint as the Patriots' offensive coordinator. His system has never traveled well, not with the Broncos, Rams, nor Raiders. But it’s always seemed to work in New England — and not only with Tom Brady; he's made it work with Matt Cassell, Jimmy Garoppolo, Mac Jones, and even Cam Newton (to an extent) over his Patriots tenures.

It’s definitely working with Maye, as the second-year pro seems more comfortable setting the presnap protections and running the offense with each game; against the Giants, Maye completed at least three passes to seven different receivers, and one to rookie Kyle Williams that resulted in a 33-yard touchdown.

If Maye indeed goes from raw 2024 rookie to NFL MVP in one year’s time — and it appears to be tracking that way, as Maye has been a model of consistency for the now 11-2 Patriots — McDaniels’ name will undoubtedly be mentioned in coaching rumors, as soon as this next hiring cycle.

When he was hired by Vrabel back in January, the biggest selling point for Patriots fans was a sustained run for McDaniels and Maye, similar to the bulk of Brady’s career. With McDaniels, the offense continues to evolve and grow with the quarterback over time. With Brady, it essentially became his offense by the end, and Maye has a chance to start building his own version over the next several years.

But McDaniels has to remain in Foxboro for that to happen. He's hinted that his preference is to keep his family in the Boston suburbs and remain on Vrabel’s staff for as long as he’ll have him. It would be hard to leave anytime soon anyway, as Maye could one day be his meal ticket.

NFL head coaching jobs are 1 of 32, however, and a floundering franchise with a young quarterback — like the Giants — would be crazy not to at least kick the tires on McDaniels’ interest in sitting down for an interview.

Selfishly, Patriots fans are hoping their team is playing too deep in the playoffs this year for that call to be answered.