When the Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers in October for what amounted to a song (a second-round draft pick), they curiously rid themselves of what appeared to be the perfect exit plan for the eventual retirement of Tom Brady, who will be 41 next season.
So you wonder if the stunning news Tuesday night that Josh McDaniels backed out of the Colts head-coaching job to remain the offensive coordinator in New England was an indication that Patriots owner Robert Kraft didn’t want to make the same mistake twice.
You wonder if Kraft, who reportedly made strong overtures in recent days to persuade McDaniels to stay, wanted to keep his exit plan intact for Bill Belichick’s eventual departure — whenever that may be.
Because it’s the Patriots, who are as efficient in clandestine maneuvers as they are in winning AFC East titles, of course Tuesday’s goings-on were bizarre and came without explanation.
McDaniels, who interviewed with Indianapolis twice, was a goner. The Colts’ Twitter account on Tuesday morning read: “We are excited to welcome Josh McDaniels, who has agreed to terms as our new head coach!”
A press conference had been called for Wednesday to introduce McDaniels, who even had part of a staff of assistants in place. All that remained was a press conference grip-and-grin photo op with McDaniels and Colts owner Jim Irsay.
Then came an ESPN report shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday saying McDaniels was spurning the Colts to remain with the Patriots.
It was reminiscent of Belichick’s resignation as “HC of the NYJ” at his introductory Jets press conference Jan. 4, 2000.
So let the speculation begin: Is this an indication of an imminent Belichick retirement?
Belichick was insistent before and after the Patriots’ 41-33 loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII on Sunday that he plans to return to coach in 2018. But since when do we believe everything (or anything) that comes out of Belichick’s mouth?
This is the same coach who has been insulting his New England fan base with no explanation about why he refused to play starting cornerback Malcolm Butler on defense in the Super Bowl despite the fact that Eagles quarterback Nick Foles and his receivers were roasting the Patriots’ secondary.
Belichick, who regularly is deified in New England, has been taking some understandable and deserved shots from Patriots fans demanding an answer about why Butler, one of the team’s best defensive players, was in uniform but never played when it was clear he was needed.
The most likely scenario is Belichick coaching the Patriots in 2018 and giving it one more go with Brady & company trying to win a sixth Super Bowl, then perhaps giving way to McDaniels in 2019.
This move by McDaniels, which left egg on the face of the Colts organization, makes you wonder if he hasn’t worn out his chances of being offered a head-coaching job anywhere else but New England. What team is going to trust him after the way he left the Colts in this lurch?
ESPN even speculated that this mess was orchestrated by Kraft as revenge for the Colts calling out the Patriots for deflating those footballs before the 2015 AFC Championship game win over Indianapolis, quoting a text from a league source that read: “That’s Kraft putting it to the Colts again. He will forever try and [bleep] that place ever since deflate gate.’’
The Colts released a rather terse and cold statement on McDaniels’ reversal Tuesday night that read: “After agreeing to contract terms to become the Indianapolis Colts’ new head coach, New England Patriots assistant coach Josh McDaniels this evening informed us that he would not be joining our team. Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head coaching search immediately and find the right fit to lead our team and organization on and off the field.’’
McDaniels had a short and unsuccessful run as a head coach in Denver, going 11-17 in 2009-10 and getting fired in the middle of his second season. He has been a hot head-coaching candidate the past few seasons, but clearly has been waiting for the right second chance, since he knows head coaches rarely get a third shot. Having a franchise quarterback in Andrew Luck seemed to make Indy the perfect place. Until it wasn’t.
His first stint as Patriots offensive coordinator was from 2006 to 2008, and he has held that role for the past six seasons. How long he remains at that post will be a topic of conversation considering the fact that Belichick will be 66 next season.
Interestingly, when Belichick was the Giants’ defensive coordinator, he took his first head-coaching job in Cleveland right after the 1990 season, not knowing Bill Parcells was going to step down a few months later with a heart problem. Had Belichick not left for Cleveland, perhaps he, rather than the ill-fated Ray Handley, would have been the Giants’ exit plan for Parcells.
Now McDaniels appears to be Kraft’s exit plan for Belichick. But because it’s the Patriots, no one — other than Belichick, Kraft and McDaniels — knows what the plan is.
We’ll all know when we know.