McDaniels pulls a Belichick as Pats OC sticks it to Colts with deflating decision
JBelichickosh McDaniels didn’t just break the most storied and unattainable record in NFL history, he shattered it. He was the head coach of the Colts for less time than Bill was the head coach of the Jets. So there you go Colts, there’s your Deflategate payback from the Patriots three years later. Indy interviewed McDaniels on Jan. 4 and had been waiting one month for him and now they are screwed.
Who doesn’t love a little post-Super Bowl drama?
Although the Patriots will make no announcement, it goes without saying that McDaniels, in addition to a reported nice pay increase after late maneuvering by Robert Kraft, was likely given assurances that he is the Hoodie-in-waiting when Belichick retires.
How long will that be? Belichick is under contract for 2018 and recently said he “absolutely” will coach next season. The length and salary in Belichick’s contract is a better kept secret than his spying was until the Jets turned him in, but regardless of his contract, it’s possible 2018 could be his last season or he will just keep on going. He has this job as long as he wants it.
In April, Belichick will be 66 years old and McDaniels will be 42. McDaniels clearly is not in any hurry to get a second shot at being a head coach after he lasted only 28 games with the Broncos in 2009-10. McDaniels may have no choice but to wait out Belichick now. Really, what team will want to go through the process with him now after he backed out on the Colts hours after they announced he was their coach?
McDaniels and Tom Brady are like brothers and McDaniels may want to stick with him through the end of his career — he is 40 and wants to play into his mid-40s — and be content to take over whenever Belichick has had enough.
After an ESPN report in January detailed behind-the-scenes friction with Belichick on one side and Brady and Kraft on the other centering around the Jimmy Garoppolo trade, and Belichick now facing intense criticism for benching former Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler against the Eagles — he played one special teams snap — things could be unravelling in the Evil Empire. Belichick has yet to explain why Butler, who played a team-high 97.8% of the defensive snaps in 2017 and every snap in the playoffs against the Titans and Jaguars, was benched.
It was reported at 11:12 a.m. Tuesday that McDaniels had accepted the Colts job. At 4:14 p.m. the Colts announced a press conference was set for Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium. McDaniels was reportedly calling assistants and offering them jobs. Previously, the Colts hired three assistants to work for him, clearly at his urging. At 7:34 p.m., ESPN reported that McDaniels changed his mind. That’s just eight hours and 22 minutes on the job. Belichick had to be impressed.
Although no official minute-by-minute timeline is available, the Jets announced on Jan. 3, 2000 that Belichick, by the terms of his contract, was immediately promoted to head coach after Bill Parcells had stepped down. Just about 24 hours later, Belichick resigned as the “HC of the NYJ.”
McDaniels backed out of his deal with the Colts to stay in New England. Belichick backed out of his deal with the Jets to get to New England. There had been rumors at the Super Bowl over the weekend that McDaniels was getting cold feet — understandable with the sub-zero temperatures in Minneapolis. Turned out his feet were freezing. After the Patriots’ stunning loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII, he refused to discuss the Colts job at his press conference. This should all make for a very interesting game when the Pats and Colts play each other next season.
Back when the Giants were looking for a head coach, I endorsed McDaniels as the best option because he’s the closest thing to an offensive genius in the NFL. I thought the Patriots, not the Colts or any other team, were the Giants competition, because he had been so reluctant to leave, withdrawing in the past from consideration with the 49ers and Browns. He has four young children and his family is comfortable living in the Boston area.
I also suggested that McDaniels would never work for the Colts after they damaged Brady’s character and reputation by claiming the Patriots were deflating footballs in the 2014 AFC Championship Game. Although Ryan Grigson, who brought his accusations/ suspicions to the league during the game, has since been fired as the Colts GM, I couldn’t imagine McDaniels wanting to work for an organization that tried to bring down his friend.
Brady wound up serving a four-game suspension at the beginning of the 2016 season. Kraft is still seething about Brady’s suspension and the Pats being fined $1 million and losing their first round pick in 2016 and fourth round pick in 2017.
Did Deflategate factor into this? According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a league source sent him a text: “That’s Kraft putting it to the Colts again. He will forever try and (…) that place ever since deflate gate.”
The Colts have reportedly already lined up three interviews, according to Pro Football Talk. Although the report did not mention names, much of the speculation is about Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, who worked with Colts GM Chris Ballard in Kansas City. Mike Vrabel (Titans) and Matt Nagy (Bears) have since taken jobs after interviewing with the Colts.
One of the most attractive elements about the Colts job for McDaniels job was the opportunity to work with franchise quarterback Andrew Luck, who missed all of the 2017 season following shoulder surgery. But it was reported over the weekend that Luck could require more surgery.
The Colts were reduced to issuing a statement Tuesday night.
“After agreeing to contract terms to become the Indianapolis Colts’ new head coach, New England Patriots assistant coach Josh McDaniels this evening informed us that he would not be joining our team. Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head coaching search immediately and find the right fit to lead our team and organization on and off the field. The scheduled press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium will not take place tomorrow. More information will be forthcoming.”
McDaniels is clearly the heir apparent to Belichick when he decides to hang up his hoodie and retire to Nantucket.