Throughout the Browns' search for a new head coach, ClevelandBrowns.com will break down the candidates as they go through the interview process with the team. We continue with a look at Josh McDaniels, the current offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.
1) A Northeast Ohio native, McDaniels went to high school at Canton McKinley before spending time in the Cleveland area as a wide receiver at John Carroll University. He is the son of legendary Ohio high school football coach Thom McDaniels, who, among his many accolades in his 26-year career, won a state and national championship at the helm of the Bulldogs in 1997. His brother Ben is the current quarterbacks coach at the University of Michigan.
2) During his time as a Blue Streak, McDaniels played with Patriots' Director of Player Personnel Nick Caserio, college football hall of famer and former St. Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins linebacker London Fletcher, Los Angeles Chargers' general manager Tom Telesco and Notre Dame special teams coordinator Brian Polian.
3) McDaniels has experience in the head coaching role in the NFL, as he was formerly the head coach of the Denver Broncos for 2009 and most of the 2010 season before his release. He was set to take over as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018 before withdrawing to remain with the Patriots.
4) If you've been with the Patriots for an extended period of time in the last 20 years, you've racked up the championship rings, and McDaniels certainly has. He has been around for all six of New England's titles starting in 2001. He held a variety of roles in his first stint with the Pats from 2001-08, mostly on the offensive side of the ball. After his time in Denver, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the St. Louis Rams for the 2011 campaign before returning to New England, where he has been in the same role since 2012.
5) Although they found themselves in the middle of the pack in offensive yards per game this season (354), the Patriots have been consistently in the top-10 in the NFL in both yards per game and passing yards per game since 2012 under McDaniels, with the lone exception coming in 2014, when they finished 11th in yards per game (365.5). They led the league in yards per game in 2012 (427.9) and 2017 (394.2).
Check out photos of who the Browns are interviewing to be their next head coach
FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018 file photo, Minnesota Vikings interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Minneapolis. The Minnesota Vikings have appointed Kevin Stefanski as offensive coordinator, after his interim stint over the last three games of the season. The 36-year-old Stefanski was promoted on Dec. 11 to replace John DeFilippo, who was fired in his first season on the job amid persistent struggles by the Vikings in moving the ball. Stefanski was a candidate for the head coach vacancy with the Cleveland Browns, who instead picked their own interim offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn, File)
FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2020, file photo, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels watches his team warm up before an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Tennessee Titans, in Foxborough, Mass. With the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants completing coaching hires on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020, the Cleveland Browns job vacancy will be the last NFL opening filled. It's still unclear how quickly that will happen. The Browns, who fired Freddie Kitchens after just one season, are in the second week of interviews and have scheduled meetings this week with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Vikings coordinator Kevin Stefanski. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh looks on during warmups prior to an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019, in New Orleans. The 49ers defeated the Saints, 48-46. (Ryan Kang via AP)
FILE - In this June 12, 2019, file photo, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman speaks with reporters at the NFL football team's training facility in Owings Mills, Md. The success of the Ravens has created an interest in coordinators Greg Roman and Don Martindale as potential candidates to fill NFL head coaching vacancies. (AP Photo/Gail Burton, File)
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll watches the team warm up before an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is seen on the sidelines during a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019 in Atlanta. The Falcons won 24-20. (Logan Bowles via AP)
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy looks on during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Detroit. The Chiefs defeated the Lions 34-30. (Joe Robbins via AP)
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 24-17. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy looks on during an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 in Detroit. The Chiefs defeated the Lions 34-30. (Joe Robbins via AP)
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels coaches from the sideline during an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 24-17. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll watches practice at the NFL football team's training camp in Pittsford, N.Y., Thursday, July 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh during the second half of an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz speaks with members of the media during NFL football training camp Friday, July 27, 2018 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy watches during the first half of the NFL football Super Bowl XLV game with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman watches pregame warmups before an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Nov. 25, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Ravens defeated the Rams 45-6. (Kevin Terrell via AP)
Minnesota Vikings interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
