One of the biggest storylines of the New England Patriots’ rumor-filled 2018 offseason involved offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The CliffsNotes version looks as follows: the Indianapolis Colts offered him the head coaching position, McDaniels agreed but never signed a contract, the club announced the hire too soon, and he ultimately returned to the Patriots after owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick made a last-second push.
McDaniels’ decision to stay in New England can be interpreted in many ways: maybe he did not want to uproot his family, maybe he was persuaded by the Patriots’ offer — a five-year deal that makes him the highest-paid coordinator in football —, maybe he is Belichick’s successor in the waiting.