Josh McDaniels hasn’t ‘really worried’ about Patriots quarterback competition

Author Alex Barth

August 22nd, 2021 2:05 PM

The unescapable topic of the summer in New England football circles has been the team’s quarterback situation. Fans have worked themselves up trying to answer two questions – who will start under center for the Patriots in Week 1, and how long will it take for Mac Jones to overtake Cam Newton for the job.

While some obsess over which direction the team will go, one of the individuals who has a hand in the decision isn’t losing any sleep over it. Speaking to the media on Sunday, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels downplayed the situation with just a week left in training camp.

“I know this is going to sound silly, but I haven’t really worried about it,” McDaniels replied when asked if he has any idea who the starting quarterback will be Week 1 against Miami. “I think that decision from Bill [Belichick] will be made when the time is right to make it.”

McDaniels did follow up by echoing a point Belichick has been making since the draft, addressing the quarterback situation as it currently stands. “Cam certainly is the starter now, and he has done a good job. He has gone in there, he played well the other night. He’s practiced well.”

At the end of the answer, McDaniels added “I know those guys are really competing hard and we’re giving them an opportunity to compete and play a lot of football.”

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  With the season opener less than a month away, McDaniels says he has a bigger-picture view of the QB position right now. "My focus really is on our offense improving and specific to your question, that position in general," he explained. "I have said it before, like that position to me is obviously extremely valuable to our team. We need to be able to play consistently well. We need to communicate well. We need to make good decisions. We need to throw the ball accurately. We need to protect the football and not give it away. To me, I look at those guys in the same light in regards to what we’re trying to accomplish. Ultimately, when any decision is made based on who is going to play more or less on our team, those decisions will be made when the time is right and we’re going to go forward and try and play the best we can."
  
  "I am excited about our room," McDaniels continued. "All of the guys in our room are very unselfish relative to sharing of information, of trying to help somebody else in the room get better. It’s an amazing group of people together because you talk about competing, I think what I have told them from the beginning is, they need to compete with themselves to play the best that they can play...I think that is where their mindset has been and they’ve all tried to make themselves better, which I think in turn has made our group better."
  
  It seems unlikely the Patriots would make a definitive decision about the Week 1 starter - at least publicly - until after final roster cuts on Aug. 31. And if Newton is named the starter as expected, the conversation won't end there with Jones right on his heels. While that's the central focus for many Patriots fans right now, for McDaniels, those decisions are still a ways away.

MORE: Week 2 QB Watch

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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Author Alex Barth

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Bill Belichick,Cam Newton,Josh McDaniels,Mac Jones,New England Patriots,NFL,patriots