Who Replaces McDaniels?
Between the retirement of Tom Brady and the Brian Flores saga that Bill Belichick somehow got wrapped up in, it’s safe to say it’s been a very eventful week for the Patriots. With those two stories making headlines, I almost think the departures of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler to Las Vegas are getting overshadowed. Ziegler has been with the Patriots since 2013 and served as their director of player personnel in 2021. It’s hard to blame him for wanting full control of roster decisions, which he will get with the Raiders.
McDaniels departed New England after serving as their Offensive Coordinator from 2012-2019, his second stint with the team. McDaniels struggled during his tenure as the Broncos head coach, posting an 11-17 record. But McDaniels was in his mid 30s then and didn’t have a good QB to work with. I think the trio of Derek Carr, McDaniels, and Ziegler has the potential to be successful.
The question that Patriots fans are asking themselves now is who replaces McDaniels? Here are three potential candidates.
Bill O’Brien is a name that has been tossed around a great deal, and I think it’s safe to say he’s the favorite. According to reports, he and the Patriots have “mutual interest”. O’Brien was with the Patriots from 2007-2011 and was their OC in 2011 before leaving to coach Penn State. Bill Belichick is known for bringing coaches and players back for second stints. O’Brien did a heck of a job As Alabama's OC this past year, helping Bryce Young win the Heisman trophy. If I was a betting man, I would bet the Patriots hire O’brien.
Chad O'Shea is another potential fit. He was the Patriots wide receivers coach from 2009-2018, and was the Dolphins OC in 2019. This past year, O’Shea served as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Browns. O’Shea is definitely a name to keep an eye on.
Jerry Schuplinski isn’t exactly a household name, but he might have a shot. He was a coach for the Patriots from 2013-2018, including serving as their assistant QB coach from 2016-2018. He then followed Brian Flores to Miami and was their assistant QB coach before serving as the Giants QB coach for the last two seasons.
Troy Brown is a name that’s been tossed around by Patriots fans, but I just don’t see the Patriots promoting him to OC after just two years of coaching. He needs more experience to even be considered for a job like this in my book. Make no mistake about it, this is O'Brien's job to lose, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he and the Pats get a deal done in the near future.
