Patriots Country

Patriots Urged to Consider Familiar Coaching Hire

The New England Patriots have been urged to consider making a familiar change to their coaching staff.

Evan Massey

Oct 15, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels looks down field against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium.
Oct 15, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels looks down field against the New England Patriots in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. / Candice Ward-Imagn Images
In this story:

The New England Patriots are currently expected to keep head coach Jerod Mayo for the 2025 season. However, there is a chance that they could make some changes to other parts of their coaching staff.

One potential candidate that could be on his way out the door is offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. There is no guarantee that the Patriots will look to make a change, but it's certainly a possibility.

If New England was to move on from Van Pelt, the question would become, who could they target to replace him?

That is a question that Tim Crowley of NESN looked into. He offered a very intriguing and familiar name as a possible option for the Patriots.

Among his top offensive coordinator replacements was none other than Josh McDaniels.

"Josh McDaniels the head coach? Run. Josh McDaniels the coordinator? New England should be all in (again)," Crowley wrote. "Everyone knows what McDaniels accomplished in lockstep when Tom Brady and Bill Belichick brought championships back to New England. It’s after that era that further solidified McDaniels’ value as a coordinator."

"He had Cam Newton on a roll before the veteran got COVID-19 during the 2020 season and brought Mac Jones to a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie during the 2021 season. Maye needs competent play-calling and a trusted quarterbacks coach to inherit his development. The question becomes whether or not McDaniels wishes to pursue another stint in New England. The Patriots would greatly benefit from his return to the organization."

McDaniels could work wonders with Drake Maye. The young franchise quarterback has shown flashes of superstar potential already.

Bringing in one of the best offensive minds that New England has ever had on the coaching staff would be a home run.

Granted, this is far from a sure thing. The Patriots may not even opt to move on from Van Pelt. However, if they do, McDaniels should be high on their list of potential replacements.

Surrounding Mayo with an experienced and highly-skilled coaching staff will be very necessary. Mayo has struggled as a first-year head coach, but could turn things around if given the right support system.

It will be interesting to see what ends up happening this offseason. McDaniels returning to New England seems wild, but it's a legitimate possibility.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published
Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

Home/News