Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
49ers are lucky they missed out on Patriots OC Josh McDaniels last year
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels recently withdrew his accepted head coaching job with the Indianapolis Colts at the final minute. Considering he was on their radar a year ago, the San Francisco 49ers can feel fortunate things panned out the way they did.
Just over a year ago at this time, San Francisco 49ers fans were awaiting news who would be the next head coach of the franchise.
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was one of the final names to replace one-and-done head coach Chip Kelly. And McDaniels seemed like a good hire, heading towards a victory in Super Bowl LI and at the helm of one of the most successful offenses in recent years.
But as he appeared to be the leading Niners candidate, McDaniels withdrew his name from consideration and elected to stay on in New England.
A year later, McDaniels pulled the same trick, only this time to the Indianapolis Colts and
after he had officially accepted to be their next head coach.
Who knows the exact reasons McDaniels got cold feet this time.
Some reports speculate Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is making attempts to groom his coordinator as an eventual replacement when the former decides to retire. Those same reports note a notable increase in pay for McDaniels, which is always an easy motivation.
Either way, the 49ers are fortunate not to have gone down that road.
McDaniels hasn't exactly had much success outside of New England. To be fair, neither has Belichick. But a shun like this is dangerous around NFL circles, especially considering McDaniels' would-be staff in Indianapolis had largely signed on with the team for 2018. Coaches remember that sort of thing. And as
ESPN NFL analyst Tim Hasselbeck pointed out, all this could seriously damage McDaniels' reputation for quite some time.
If McDaniels winds up taking over for Belichick in 2019, 2020, or at some point beyond, he'll be responsible for creating his own legacy, likely one that doesn't include future Hall of Fame quarterback
Tom Brady, who'll turn 41 years old this upcoming season.
And if things don't work out, well, those coaching circles will remember.
The Niners, fortunately, didn't have McDaniels officially penciled in as their next head coach a year ago. He was a top candidate, but not the official one. But as
Kevin Jones pointed out, the 49ers avoided this last-second change of plans:
Yes, it is funny how things work out.
49ers fans know what happened next. After missing out on McDaniels, former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan got the job, bringing with him a proven offensive scheme and desire to turn the roster over to a youth-first movement. And amid that nine-game losing streak to start his first year as head coach, Shanahan managed to hold the locker room together, as
pointed out by Niners first-round draftee, defensive end Solomon Thomas.
Overall, Shanahan's stock is still rising high. In the meantime, McDaniels stock plummets after this latest move. And with all the head coaching controversies in Santa Clara that preceded Shanahan, it's nice to think the Niners "lucked out" by
not getting their initial target.
-
Written by:
Peter Panacy has been writing about the 49ers since 2011 for outlets like Bleacher Report, Niner Noise, 49ers Webzone, and is occasionally heard as a guest on San Francisco's 95.7 FM The Game and the Niners' flagship station, KNBR 680. Feel free to follow him, or direct any inquiries to his Twitter account.
The opinions within this article are those of the writer and, while just as important, are not necessarily those of the site as a whole.
-
The Truth
Mr. Panacy... Sir...
The 49ers never had any intention on hiring Josh McDaniels.
They played him to hide the fact that John Lynch was being brought in as the new GM all the while Lynch himself had Shanahan selected as his HC from the start.
McDaniels was simply being used as an pawn to cover their moves.
Feb 9, 2018 at 11:10 AM
-
Paul
People say "Well Belichick did this to the Jets". Sort of true. Belichick was going to take over after Parcells retired. The Jets wouldn't have had to change their staff. They also didn't wait a over a month, and hire assistant coaches. Parcells also blocked him from interviewing with the Patriots. Belichick did sign a contract (before backing out), and the Jets ended up getting draft compensation. The Colts just got burned.
McDaniels will have a tough time following a legend, and without a legend at QB. The Pats have the taste of winning, and will be ultra-critical of everything imperfect.
Feb 8, 2018 at 12:10 PM
-
Jarl
Baffled me why McDaniels was ever considered last year
Feb 8, 2018 at 7:16 AM
-
Phil
And without Shanahan, the 49ers don't get Garoppolo.
Feb 8, 2018 at 4:56 AM
-
AJWells
He along with others pulled their name out when it was widely believed that Shanahan was the 9ers target...
Feb 7, 2018 at 4:41 PM
More San Francisco 49ers News
Former 49ers teammate campaigns for reunion with Brandon Aiyuk on Patriots
The San Francisco 49ers are optimistic they can negotiate a contract extension with star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Recognizing the impending significant investment, the team has been strategically planning for the day when Aiyuk's contract demands must be accommodated.
Despite the team's assurance that signing Aiyuk remains a priority, speculation continues to circulate within NFL circles, often involving Aiyuk's name in trade rumors. In March, general manager John Lynch addressed these rumors, stating that the 49ers are actively engaged in discussions with Aiyuk and his representatives while
Rumor: Steelers believe they can acquire 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk at a bargain
According to Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein, who writes for "All Steelers" on the network, there's a level of confidence within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization that they can strike a deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk—and at a bargain rate.
"According to a team source, the Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real," Strackbein wrote. "While nothing is imminent, they 'would be surprised if it didn't happen.' But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn't willing to budge much on price."
While it seems unlikely that the 49ers would part ways with Aiyuk for anything less than a first-round draft
49ers sign CB Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal
The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have signed cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal. He becomes the third cornerback to join the team this offseason. The Niners previously signed free agents Isaac Yiadom and Chase Lucas to one-year deals.
The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown.
Ya-Sin (5-11, 195) was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round (34th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Throughout his five-year NFL career with the Colts (2019-21), Las Vegas Raiders (2022), and Baltimore Ravens (2023), he has appeared in 66 games (40 starts) and registered 193 tackles, 29 passes defensed, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In 2023,
Details emerge on CB Rock Ya-Sin's 1-year deal with 49ers
Details have emerged on the San Francisco 49ers' latest free-agent addition. The team signed cornerback Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal worth $1.2925 million, with $1.05625 million fully guaranteed.
OverTheCap.com has provided the contract breakdown, which is outlined below.
Total for 2024
Base salary: $1,125,000
Prorated signing bonus: $71,250
Roster bonus: $71,250
Workout bonus: $25,000
Guaranteed salary: $985,000
Salary-cap number: $1,152,500
As per OverTheCap.com, the 49ers are currently listed at $6,496,625 under the salary
