The numbers generally don't lie. Without diving into specifics, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots offense is flat-out better when Josh McDaniels is driving it.
Bill Belichick knows it.
The Pats top boss recently revealed just how much he realizes the notion as he gushed over his offensive coordinator by calling him the best at his job in the business, via Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal.
“We got back from Minnesota. I had an opportunity to talk with Josh. We were able to work some things out,” Belichick said. “I’m thrilled he’s still with us and is going to continue in his role. I think he’s the top offensive coordinator in the league. He’s done a great job for me for a long time in a lot of different roles so very glad, based on the meeting we had, there were a number of things that happened, but after the meeting that we had we were able to work that out and keep him with us.”
Belichick, 65, was also asked about another underrated coach on his staff, offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.
“Yeah, great. One of the best coach’s I’ve ever worked with. Does a great job. Absolutely, it’s a big positive to have him in our program,” Belichick said this week about Scarnecchia. Before he finished his thought, he brought up McDaniels.
“And obviously, Josh,” Belichick continued. “Both of them. There was some, whatever degree of uncertainty, but very fortunate to have a good coaching staff. They’re two of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with so it’s great to have them.”
It's surprising the mysterious Ernie Adams wasn't mentioned, but, in any event, both McDaniels and Scarnecchia have been alongside Belichick for all five Super Bowl championship teams.
In fact, the last real “rut” the Pats experienced—2009 and 2010, the last seasons in which they failed to reach the AFC title game (2009 losing in the wild-card round to Baltimore Ravens and in 2010, falling to Rex Ryan's New York Jets)—were the two seasons McDaniels was a mile high coaching the Denver Broncos.
The greatness of any legendary leader is never about the leader him or herself. It's about those committed around the individual. Does he inspire? Does he conjure positive emotion? Does he promote ambition and drive?
Check “yes” in all of those boxes next to Bill Belichick's name and now, especially in the case of Josh McDaniels, the man who's unofficially ready to take the reigns when, arguably, the greatest head coach in NFL history retires.
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