What’s The Big Deal About Patriots OC Josh McDaniels Not Attending The NFL Scouting Combine
So what’s the big deal about the fact that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels isn’t attending the NFL Scouting Combine?
All the buzz surrounding McDaniels not attending the combine is certainly credited to his distasteful move of accepting and then declining the Indianapolis Colts’ head coaching job at the last minute. Total dink move. But hey, the Colts had it coming right?
This year’s Combine is being held in Indianapolis once again, so the assumption here is that McDaniels is avoiding the Colts and the city all together. But according to Ben Volin and Nora Princiotti of the Boston Globe, that’s not the case.
Earlier this week the Patriots confirmed that “McDaniels and most, if not all, of the coaching staff will not attend this year’s combine. The coaches will stay back in Foxborough to catch up on projects that got put on hold because the team made a deep postseason run,” according to Volin and Princiotti.
And it’s not like McDaniels is a frequent flier at the combine anyways.
According to a team spokesperson, “McDaniels hasn’t attended three of the last four” NFL Combines and “the [assistant] coaches typically don’t attend the combine after reaching the Super Bowl.”
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So what’s the big deal about McDaniels not attending this year?
It’s shouldn’t be a big deal because of the Colts, or its location or even because of their Super Bowl run.
It should be a big deal because McDaniels should in retrospect, be at the combine, scouting a quarterback to fill the gaping hole left behind Tom Brady by way of Jimmy Garoppolo’s departure. (Sorry Brian Hoyer, you’re decent and all, but you’re not the future here in New England).
And with all things pointing to McDaniels sticking around to take over as head coach once Bill Belichick retires, especially after turning down the Indy job in a ruthless kind of way, you’d think he’d be in on the hunt for the next heir apparent to the “QB Thrown.”
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So why wouldn’t Belichick have McDaniels come along for the ride so he can get a better look at the pool of players at the quarterback position?
Or how about since Belichick is allegedly taking McDaniels “under his wing” as a mentor and tutor, why wouldn’t he bring him along to teach him a thing or two about the process? Because he could probably use some pointers after his dreadful draft run with the Denver Broncos. (I love ya, but sorry Tim Tebow.)
FOXBORO, MA – Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on September 22, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It’ll be totally weak if McDaniels decided on his own not attend the combine because of the stunt he pulled on Indy.
And the funny thing is that he definitely could’ve gone to the combine and avoided Colts’ personnel, along with their fans at all costs.
Since McDaniels won’t be at the combine, he won’t be involved in any of the one-on-one interviews with the prospects, and he won’t be observing any drills in real-time. But he’ll still have plenty of time to spend with prospected Patriots over the next two months leading up to the NFL Draft.
More On The NFL Scouting Combine: “The NFL Scouting Combine is a vital event in the path to the draft. More than 300 prospects will participate in the 2018 combine in their quest to achieve their NFL dreams,” according to the NFL.
Combine workout schedule:
» Friday, Mar 2: RB, OL, PK, ST
» Saturday, Mar 3: QB, WR, TE
» Sunday, Mar 4: DL, LB
» Monday, Mar 5: DB
— By John ‘The Dude’ Hardiman, 985TheSportsHub.com
