In the Raiders’ 65 years of existence, there has never been a head coach leave the organization with more critics than Josh McDaniels.
From former players to talking heads in media, McDaniels’ absorbed as much scrutiny around his ability to lead an NFL team as any head coach before or after him.
As he continued to collect upwards of $60 million owed to him by the Raiders, McDaniels sat out the 2024 season, but will return to the sidelines with Mike Vrabel in 2025 as the offensive coordinator of the Patriots.
As it’s been pointed out many times, nearly all of McDaniels’ success in the NFL was with the Patriots during two separate stints with the team between 2001 to 2022.
Retired New England wide receiver Julian Edelman was with the Patriots for 12 seasons and he might know the former Raiders head coach as well any player other than Tom Brady.
Edelman sat down with Jon Gruden this week in New Orleans and talked about where McDaniels excelled as a coach during their time together.
“He is a guru, isn’t he?” Gruden asked Edelman about McDaniels.
“He is a guru. I would say Josh is really good at being able to design game plans around the strengths of what his skill guys are,” Edelman said. “He’s really great with the quarterback. I just remember always, the night before games, him and Tom [Brady] are going through the play sheet and finishing each other’s sentences. I think that relationship between him and the quarterback has always been really strong… so I’m excited for his opportunity with [Vrabel].”
As many have pointed out, there’s no arguing McDaniels’ resume in New England, but it’s worth noting that he and Bill Belichick have had very little head coaching success without Brady in the mix.
With that in mind, the 2025 season presents a huge opportunity for McDaniels to make a statement on his abilities to coach in the NFL without Brady by his side.
For better or worse, Raider fans (and probably Broncos fans, too) will be watching the career of their former offensive “guru” closely to see how the McDaniels experience plays out in New England with highly-touted second year quarterback Drake Maye.
x: @raidersbeat
Some people are lieutenants, some people are leaders of men. Other than J.J., I never saw very good use of our weapons. We had a pro bowl WR and TE that disappeared. He must not be a great at evaluating talent, else he would not have wasted a year trying to get DC to fit in his game plans, and follow that up with a washed up and always over-rated Jimmy G. He always goes running back to mama Patriot when he falls down. He’s right back where he needs to be with his little Patriot security blanket wrapped around him, only now Uncle Bill and big brother Tom aren’t there to dry the tears.
Or change his diaper.
Just like the post said,he and belicheat never did a **** thing without brady. As much as I can’t stand brady, I gotta say, he’s the reason they both won championships. Other than that, those two have been worthless.
It’s Awesome when RAIDER fans unit and band together… like the old days us against the world… looking forward to a new season and RAIDERS Football… New Beginning… RAIDERS 2025 JUST WIN BABY…
Gruden is the last person to evaluate any football player or coach he sucked plain and simple
Yikes. I agree that the fit with the Raiders wasn’t ‘ideal’ for Coach McD. I wonder, however, how many of these critics talking smack have ever coached, at ANY level. I don’t talk stuff because (A) It makes you sound like a Judgy toolbag, and (B) I don’t Care; we have to keep trying to find a Coach & QB1 to build around. Talk minus Action = Zero. We got the coach. We’re Halfway there!