Former Denver Broncos head coach and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is expected to be hired as the new head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
McDaniels has won six Super Bowls as a coach but his time in Denver from 2009-2010 was marred by bad decisions, cheating and poor on-field performances. The Broncos went 11-17 under McDaniels before he was fired 12 games into the 2010 season.
McDaniels’ questionable decisions included upsetting and trading Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler, trading Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall, trading fullback/running back Peyton Hills for Brady Quinn (and then never playing Quinn) and trading away productive tight end Tony Scheffler for a mere fifth-round pick.
McDaniels also had several blunders in two drafts, reaching for prospects like edge defender Robert Ayers over Clay Matthews, defensive backs Alphonso Smith and Darcel McBath over Jairus Byrd and Darius Butler and tight end Richard Quinn over Jared Cook, among other blunders.
In 2010, the team’s director of video operations (who was hired by McDaniels in 2009) filmed the San Francisco 49ers’ walkthrough practice before Denver’s showdown with the Niners in London, England.
McDaniels said he didn’t know the staff member planned to film the practice but that didn’t stop the NFL from fining McDaniels and the team. The Broncos fired McDaniels one week later.
In 2018, McDaniels’ agent parted ways with the coach after he walked away from a head coach agreement with the Indianapolis Colts. McDaniels had agreed to become the Colts coach — and they announced the news — but he then changed his mind and returned to the Patriots.
Despite McDaniels’ struggles in Denver and him going back on his word to Indy, Las Vegas apparently feel he deserves another shot as a head coach. He will now play against the Broncos two times per season.
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