When the Patriots searched for an offensive coordinator this offseason, it came down to three names: McDaniels, then-Vikings OC Grant Udinski (who came highly recommended by Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell) and former Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown. Brown crushed his interview; multiple people in league circles told me he “blew the doors off.” But after some long conversations with trusted voices in Mike Vrabel’s orbit, New England leaned back into the familiar … and then strengthened it.
Despite interest elsewhere, Vrabel convinced Brown to join the staff as passing game coordinator, working with McDaniels every day.
I’m told McDaniels’ impact is directly seen in his ability to adjust and outsmart opponents. “Look at the halftime adjustments in Buffalo, Tennessee and Cleveland,” one league source observed. “They stand out. This past Sunday, against Cleveland’s defense, it was perimeter touches for TreVeyon Henderson that flipped the tone.”
That’s experience and understanding.
This isn’t the Brady era, the old Foxboro install. McDaniels has built a system around Maye’s mobility and off-platform ability, using his legs as a weapon.
It’s the new Patriots.
Offensive assistants Brown, Todd Downing and Doug Marrone all have their fingerprints on this creation. The Patriots didn’t just bring McDaniels back. They built a new collaborative ecosystem around him.
