Is Josh McDaniels the right fit at HC for Raiders?
Josh McDaniels has spent more than a decade leading the New England Patriots offense. He has held the offensive coordinator job since 2012. His first stint as the team's OC was from 2005-2008. So why is he not a head coach?
McDaniels is routinely named a top head coaching candidate in every single hiring cycle. That is true this time around, too, as the Las Vegas Raiders reportedly consider him a top candidate. That there's already an interview request for the role put forth by the Raiders should mean the interest is serious.
#Raiders owner Mark Davis has had interest in Josh McDaniels for weeks. Hard to imagine he puts in the request without believing McDaniels would take the job. This all gets real tomorrow. twitter.com/RapSheet/statu…
The interview will take place on Friday, and it's possible that the Patriots offensive coordinator will be named head coach right away. But is he a good fit?
The franchise has Rich Bisaccia in place as the interim head coach following the resignation of Jon Gruden. All Bisaccia did was lead the team into the postseason, nearly taking down the Cincinnati Bengals on the road. It has since become clear he is not viewed as a top option.
There are clear benefits to hiring McDaniels. He has won six Super Bowls as a coach and worked alongside Tom Brady for well over a decade. He most recently made Mac Jones look like a future star in 2021. He has an unparalleled résumé in the NFL. Yet again, there is a reason why he has not had a head coaching job in a long time.
The top concern about hiring Josh McDaniels
The head coach was a young star back in 2009 when he was named head coach of the Denver Broncos. His stock only grew after a 6-0 start in his first season. Unfortunately, the Broncos finished the year at 8-8.
Things only got worse in 2010 when the team started 3-9 and it was revealed a member of McDaniels' staff had illegally videotaped an opponent's practice. The incident got the head coach fired before the end of the season.
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But he was given another chance in 2018 when he appeared to be ready to lead a team again. He was named head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and reportedly started hiring staff. The coach proceeded to back out of the offer soon after, staying with Bill Belichick in New England.
So there are serious trust issues when hiring him to lead a franchise. The videotaping should not be an issue at this point, but backing out on the Colts is still a major red flag. Could he bail after a tough season, only to head back to the Patriots?
Raiders owner Mark Davis needs to ensure McDaniels is truly invested in this opportunity and is not just taking it for leverage in New England. He needs to be all in and committed to building winners in Las Vegas. Yet fans and Raiders ownership may not be sure of his intentions unless he physically shows up at a press conference, accepting the position.