McDaniels backs out of Indy job
Josh McDaniels has backed out of a deal to become Indianapolis’ head coach, a decision that shocked the team hours after it announced his hiring.
The Colts confirmed McDaniels’ decision Tuesday night after reports emerged that the Patriots’ offensive coordinator opted to stay with New England.
McDaniels had agreed to contract terms with the Colts to replace the fired Chuck Pagano, and a news conference had been scheduled for Wednesday.
Just a few hours later, the Colts said McDaniels informed them he would not sign the deal.
“Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head-coaching search immediately,” the Colts said.
The Patriots and McDaniels’ agent, Bob LaMonte, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“I’m speechless,” former Indianapolis receiver Reggie Wayne told NFL Network. “I’ve talked with people in the Colts’ organization and they feel like they’ve been hoodwinked.”
By spurning Indy after it waited 22 days for the playoffs to end, McDaniels leaves the reeling franchise as the only team without a head coach.
Indy had interviewed several candidates, including two who were hired by other teams; Matt Nagy went to Chicago and Mike Vrabel to Tennessee.
McDaniels has been considered a top-tier head-coaching candidate for several years even though his only other headcoaching stint with Denver ended badly. He went 8-8 with the Broncos in 2009 and 3-9 in 2010 before he was fired with three games left in the season. Butler perplexed: New England cornerback Malcolm Butler says he didn’t miss a curfew or do anything off the field that would have hurt the Patriots’ chances of winning the Super Bowl before he was benched for the game.
In a statement on Twitter and Instagram, Butler said reports of misconduct off the field are “ridiculous.”
He says he visited with family every night while in Minneapolis. He added, “I never attended any concert, missed curfew, or participated in any of the ridiculous activities being reported.”
Before the Super Bowl, Butler was on the field for 98 percent of the Patriots’ defensive snaps and started 17 of their 18 games. He made it on the field for only one special-teams play Sunday as the Eagles racked up 538 yards of offense and won 41-33. Briefly: Carolina interim general manager Marty Hurney has been placed on paid administrative leave and is under investigation by the NFL under the personal-conduct policy after his ex-wife accused him of harassment . ... New England tight end Rob Gronkowski’s home was robbed during the Super Bowl. A police dispatcher says “multiple safes and possible guns” were taken . ... An estimated 2 million people celebrating the Eagles’ first Super Bowl win will descend on Philadelphia on Thursday as the Vince Lombardi Trophy is paraded through 5 miles of fans.