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Josh McDaniels has put himself in the running for 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year given the way he's elevated second-year quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots' offense. Two of the past three winners -- Ben Johnson in 2024, DeMeco Ryans in 2022 -- accepted head coaching roles the following offseason. Dan Quinn, who won the award in 2021, likely would have been the third in four years if he did not withdraw from multiple opportunities. While McDaniels has a different track record than first-time coaches Johnson or Ryans did at the time, there's something to be said about the award leading to head coaching interest. McDaniels is a twice-fired head coach, but given the way he's aided Maye, there's reason to believe he'll be on the radar for an open vacancy. And there's a vacancy. The New York Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll on Monday. It sparked the conversation on Early Edition: Could the G-Men show interest in McDaniels? MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE Patriots insider Tom E. Curran believes it will be impossible to overlook McDaniels given the success he's had in his return to New England. Maye, again, is firmly entrenched in the MVP conversation and the offense has exceeded all expectations. However, Curran says, it would behoove McDaniels to stay put at One Patriot Place. "Head coach is a managerial, supervisory-level position. It's not under the hood fixing things the way coordinator is," Curran said. "All those responsibilities that those coordinators are so good at are now diffused. So, to me, you look at it and you say Josh would probably be best served continuing in this role. If he wants to be a head coach, have at it. But there's nothing wrong with staying and making plenty of money and having a blast in New England with a developing good player." Co-host Trenni Kusnierek is hoping the Giants stay away from McDaniels because it would mean a third offensive coordinator in three seasons for Maye. Kusnierek also pointed out Daboll, like McDaniels, was an offensive-minded assistant and couldn't fill the shoes of a head coach. That should give New York some pause on McDaniels, she said. Would McDaniels even go for it? The 49-year-old previously was asked if he would be content coaching Maye for the remainder of his career. "I love living in New England. That's the short of it," McDaniels said last month. "I just try to focus on now, really enjoying coaching for Mike (Vrabel). ...That would be surprising if I moved my kids out of Westwood." Appearing on Patriots Pregame Live last month, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer said while McDaniels loves working for Vrabel and coaching Maye, and the stability he has in New England, he's still a football coach and would listen if a third opportunity came along. Such an opportunity, though, as Breer shared, would have to be with the right owner and the right organization. Another speculated coaching option with New England ties is future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick. However, Patriots insiders Phil Perry and Curran have a hard time envisioning such a scenario given the 73-year-old Belichick wouldn't represent a long-term solution and doesn't have as many friends in the league as he once did. For more, check out the video above.
