New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could be in line for a second chance as a head coach in 2015.
McDaniels interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons on Friday and the next day with the San Francisco 49ers.
“I’d hate to see him go,” quarterback Tom Brady said Monday on WEEI radio in Boston.
McDaniels spent less than two seasons with as head coach of the Denver Broncos. When he was hired in 2009, Patriots coach Bill Belichick publicly thanked McDaniels for his commitment and endorsed him as a coach. Now 39, McDaniels could be a candidate elsewhere but his next window to interview or speak with any team will not come until the Patriots are out of the playoffs.
“They were fine. It’s part of the process,” McDaniels said Monday morning of his weekend interviews. “Obviously it’s a privilege when anyone wants to speak with you about anything like that. At this point, I’ve moved on and hopefully can help us put together a great plan for our guys heading into this week.”
New England, the top seed in the AFC, hosts the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional playoffs Saturday.
The Broncos fired McDaniels 12 games into the 2010 season. He was 3-9 at the time, and 11-17 overall in Denver.
Belichick said last week his primary focus is on the Patriots, and expects the same from his assistants.
“As always, I would talk with the people involved and try to satisfy all the, I would say needs, but obviously the number one need for me is our football team, what takes place here,” he said. “Everything else would have to work around that.”
No. 1 seed New England, like Denver on bye this week, will host wild-card winner Baltimore. The Ravens, seeded sixth in the AFC, won at Pittsburgh in Saturday’s wild-card grudge match. The Ravens and Patriots play Saturday at 4:35 p.m. (NBC) at Gillette Stadium.
Baltimore beat the Steelers in the playoffs for the first time, but the Ravens have no fear about going on the road to play the Patriots. The Ravens are 2-1 against the Patriots in road playoff meetings, including a 28-13 victory in 2013 that sent the team to New Orleans where Baltimore beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge, and we know that,” said Ravens All-Pro defensive end Elvis Dumervil. “But we’re looking forward to that challenge.”
Saturday’s game will be the fourth trip to Foxborough, Mass., for the Ravens in the past six years.