Josh McDaniels is only a good offensive coach when his quarterback is Tom Brady.
At least that’s what some people both locally and nationally seem to think.
Well, we’re about to add another chapter to the story of McDaniels’ still-young coaching career in 2021 in New England.
And while McDaniels won’t have his – or anyone’s – ideal passing game option in Brady, the creative offensive mastermind may just have the best option he and Bill Belichick could find at this time.
Mac Jones has indeed won the Patriots starting quarterback job heading into his rookie season. According to former Patriots assistant to the coaching staff and longtime Belichick buddy Michael Lombardi, New England’s offensive coordinator may benefit from Jones’ ascension to the top of the depth chart more than anybody in the organization. (Please ignore the fact that as recently as a few weeks ago Lombardi was arguing that Jones shouldn’t start right away and might need to sit for his entire rookie season!)
“I think Josh McDaniels can get back to his comfort zone,” Lombardi told NESN. “I think Josh McDaniels is one of the best coaches in the National Football League. He’s one of the brightest offensive minds in football. And I think he’ll understand how to utilize a rookie quarterback. He won’t take him too far down the road. He’ll make sure he protects first and lets him execute.
But this also gives Josh a chance to go back to his roots, go back to the offense that he developed along with Brady and all the other coaches that have been on the New England staff and kind of build their consensus and builds their comfort level. I think that’s ultimately what we’re going to see from the Patriots offense this year.”
While it’s always dangerous to read body language from afar, McDaniels was certainly fully engaged with Jones’ development from spring OTAs right through training camp practices and preseason game action.
Throughout the competition with Cam Newton, Jones was attached at the hip with McDaniels on the practice field. Rookie reps were followed by immediate player/coach interaction that often included a fist-bump or a pat on the shoulder from McDaniels to the No. 15 overall pick.
But you don’t have to just read McDaniels’ body language or on-field energy interacting with Jones to see his affinity for his young pupil. While Belichick avoided much comment on either Newton or Jones in the wake of the former getting released and the latter winning the competition, McDaniels was open in his praise for the guy who led Alabama to a national title last season with one of best seasons by a quarterback in college football history.
Who on the Patriots offense benefits the most now that Mac Jones is under center? Michael Lombardi's answer may surprise you. @EmersonLotzia | @mlombardiNFL | #Patriots pic.twitter.com/e3us6pVpn1
— NESN After Hours (@NESNAfterHours) September 2, 2021
“He’s been well prepared each day to come in and do the things that we ask our guys to do,” McDaniels said of Jones. “And he’s given the other 10 guys on the field an opportunity to do their job effectively and produce positive plays.”
Sounds simple enough. But we’ve all watched enough NFL games with enough overmatched quarterbacks to realize it’s not that easy. Heck, Newton had more than his fair share of struggles under McDaniels’ guidance last fall.
And if we’re being honest, Newton was never even close to a great match for the kind of offense McDaniels has run over his career, one built on Brady’s skill set.
No, Jones isn’t the next Brady. No one is. But there sure as hell are some similarities in playing style and overall game. Even Charlie Weis, the architect of the Patriots dynastic offense who molded Brady early in his career, can see that.
Where Jones can take his game to, where he can take the Patriots to is anybody’s guess. How he writes the next chapter of McDaniels’ coaching narrative is uncertain. But it certainly sounds like McDaniels has some high hopes.
“He still has a lot to learn and a long way to go in terms of where hopefully we end up going,” McDaniels said optimistically.
McDaniels’ coaching future and possibility of being a head coach again are very much tied to Jones’ production and potential.
McDaniels seems to be very much OK with that. Excited even.
From where we sit, whether he had much say in the final decision or not, it seems McDaniels got the guy he wanted all along.
