Josh McDaniels was sacked as the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach on Halloween, over four months ago.
If this year’s NFLPA report cards are any indicator of his leadership abilities, he may have difficulty obtaining another head coaching position.
McDaniels began his NFL coaching career as a personnel assistant with the New England Patriots in 2001, and his first stay with the team lasted until the 2008 season. He was promoted to defensive assistant before becoming quarterbacks coach. During his three seasons as New England’s offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008, he established himself as one of the game’s best offensive brains.
During that time, the Patriots placed seventh, first, and ninth in terms of points per game, including a record-breaking 2007 season in which they went 16-0 in the regular season. New England eventually lost to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, in what was considered the greatest upset in the game’s history.
McDaniels capitalized on his success with head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, earning his first lead gig with the Denver Broncos in 2009. He endured a rough, abbreviated stay in the Mile High City, though, going 8-8 in his first year and getting fired after a 3-9 start in 2010.
McDaniels’ departure from the Broncos came in the wake of the team’s videotaping scandal, where it was reported that the group’s director of video operations recorded a San Francisco 49ers’ walkthrough practice ahead of Week 8.
The 47-year-old wasn’t unemployed for long, as he took a job as the then-St. Louis Rams offensive coordinator in 2011. McDaniels oversaw a unit that finished last in scoring at 12.1 points per game, and the Rams went 2-14 that season.
He returned to the Patriots in 2012 and remained with the organization through the 2021 season as the offensive coordinator. McDaniels earned his fourth, fifth, and sixth Super Bowl rings with the franchise following the 2014, 2016, and 2018 campaigns.
The Canton, Ohio, native got his second chance as head coach in January 2022 when he was hired by the Raiders. McDaniels went 6-11 in his first year and was 3-5 when he was let go last fall.
He holds just a 20-33 mark over parts of four seasons as a head coach and has never appeared in the postseason while at the helm.
Wednesday’s NFLPA report cards are another indication that McDaniels may never get another chance at a lead role again.
