Josh McDaniels isn’t holding the Lombardi Trophy just yet, but he’s already got some hardware to show for his latest run in New England. The Patriots’ offensive coordinator was named the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year on Thursday, a well-earned recognition for a coach who’s helped breathe new life into a storied franchise.
At 49, McDaniels becomes the first member of the Patriots organization to win the award since it was introduced in 2014. And while his name has long been associated with New England’s dynasty years, this latest chapter might be his most impressive yet.
Let’s rewind the tape. McDaniels got his NFL start with the Patriots back in 2001 as a personnel assistant.
From there, he worked his way through the defensive side of the ball before shifting over to quarterbacks coach and, eventually, offensive coordinator in 2006 under Bill Belichick. That’s when things really took off.
With Tom Brady under center and McDaniels calling the shots, the Patriots offense became a machine-fast, efficient, and ruthless.
Of course, the road wasn’t without its bumps. McDaniels left for head coaching duties in Denver and later took on the offensive coordinator role in St.
Louis, but neither stop produced the kind of success he’d come to expect. By 2011, he was back in Foxborough, rejoining the Patriots during the playoffs and reclaiming his OC role the following season.
That second stint saw three more Super Bowl titles with Brady, cementing McDaniels’ place in franchise history.
Then came another opportunity to lead-this time as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. But after a rocky tenure, he returned to New England in 2025, this time under new head coach Mike Vrabel. And that’s where the story gets interesting again.
McDaniels didn’t just return to familiar territory-he helped reshape it. The Patriots’ offense, which had struggled to find its identity in the post-Brady era, suddenly had rhythm and purpose.
Much of that transformation centered around second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who blossomed under McDaniels’ guidance into a legitimate MVP candidate. The offense found its groove, balancing creativity with execution, and McDaniels was at the heart of it all.
“Josh has done a fantastic job,” Vrabel said Thursday. “Usually any coach’s success or recognition is going to come from the fact that the players executed, they played well and they did what was coached. And sometimes that happens and sometimes it doesn’t, but I would be extremely excited and happy for Josh if he were to win, just like I would be for Stef[on Diggs], TreVeyon [Henderson], Drake and everybody else.”
It’s a classic Vrabel answer-team-first, player-focused-but it also speaks to the kind of culture that’s taking shape in New England. And McDaniels, once again, is a key architect.
This award isn’t just a nod to past accomplishments. It’s a recognition of the present and a hint at what’s still to come. The Patriots are back in the Super Bowl conversation, and McDaniels is a big reason why.