Josh McDaniels returns to his roots when the New England Patriots season comes to an end.
With Jedd Fisch leaving last week to take over as Arizona’s head coach, McDaniels will be the de facto coach of New England’s quarterbacks for weeks and 17.
This isn’t new to the Patriots’ offensive coordinator. McDaniels spent 17 seasons in Training Bill Belichick and trained quarterbacks in thirteen of them.
“I’ll do what I’ve done most of the time I’ve been here,” McDaniels said Saturday at a video conference. “I will withdraw that duty: all shift meetings, recommendations sheets, that sort of thing He and I paint in combination in many of these things. In fact, he made a lot of paintings only without me, however, we have been working with this organization and this position organization, so it may not be absolutely uncommon here for those guys the last few weeks. We’ll be able to drive that kind of road that’s been here the most of my career.
McDaniels trained patriots quarterbacks from 2004 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2019 while serving as New England’s offensive coordinator for all seasons (2004). He has done so in recent years, with Jerry Schuplinski as assistant quarterback coach from 2016 to 2018. and Mick Lombardi taking on that role in 2019.
Last January, the Patriots hired Fisch to train the quarterbacks, allowing McDaniels to devote more attention to other facets of the offensive.
Lately, the New England quarterback organization consists of Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer and practice team Jake Dolegala.
“Having a guy you accept as true in this role so you can serve and speak well, prepare shifts, watch the tape with them, pass clippings, reminders, launch the game, play the game, protect, etc. , is a wonderful help,” McDaniels said. There’s no doubt about it.
“The first component of my career here, I didn’t really have anyone to help him. And then we added Jerry Schuplinski, then Mick Lombardi, then Jedd was appointed quarterback coach, and rightly so. These guys have been a wonderful assistance and a wonderful addition to our staff. I have a lot of confidence in that position with those three guys I just mentioned, and the quarterbacks would tell you the same thing. This gives you a lot of time, if you can use it, you might not in a different way. “
Schuplinski followed Brian Flores to Miami and now works with Joe Judge with the New York Giants. Lombardi is still with the Patriots, switched to open catchers this season after Judge’s departure, but said he would return to the quarterback room with Fisch out. .
However, fisch’s release will create more paintings for New England staff as a whole, as each individual assistant is on the index of a facet of a given week’s game plan (third chance, red zone, short distance, etc. . ).
“It’s almost like the next player’s mindset,” said Lombardi, who will remain focused on the gaps. “. . . Jedd did a lot of things that weren’t just the quarterback’s training in terms of collective effort to make game plans, so we all took over. “
The 6-8 Patriots were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs last week and are expected to receive the Buffalo Bills on Monday night before completing their season at the New York Jets home next Sunday.
“I’d probably be sleeping a little less here the last nine days of the season, but it doesn’t matter,” McDaniels said. “I’ll sleep when the season’s over. “