Green Bay Packers: Josh McDaniels is the best fit

Josh McDaniels should be first up on the Green Bay Packers list of head coaching interviews.

Interim coach Joe Philbin apparently has a legitimate chance to sway Mark Murphy and Brian Gutekunst in favor of making him the next head coach of the Green Bay Packers. However, even a 4-0 finish to the 2018 season may not be enough for Philbin. Will Murphy and Gutekunst really want to start the next chapter for the franchise with a Mike McCarthy understudy? Probably not.

As the offensive coordinator, Philbin is partly responsible for how bad Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay’s offense have been this season. His relationship with his quarterback might be starting on better terms, but he isn’t the right guy to revive Rodgers’ career. That job is best suited for New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.

Legendary coach Bill Belichick made McDaniels the highest paid coordinator in the NFL last season for good reason. His scheme that emphasizes moving the ball downfield and his ability to get the best out of future hall of fame quarterback Tom Brady is second to none. McDaniels is a five-time Super Bowl champion with an offense that has ranked in the top three in terms of scoring in five of the last six seasons.

His first stint as a head coach didn’t pan out well when he was with the Denver Broncos 2009-2010. With Kyle Orton under center, a 32-year-old McDaniels finished the 2009 season 8-8 after a 6-0 start. The following season he was fired in week 14 thanks to a 3-9 record and no help from one of the worst defenses in the league.

It didn’t take long for McDaniels to get back on his feet, though.

He spent a year as the offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams before returning to New England where he cultivated a superior offense. And from 2012-2017, he helped Brady reach four Super Bowls, winning two of them.

Most people have a sour taste about McDaniels for how he left the Indianapolis Colts at the altar after he agreed to head up their staff during the 2018 offseason. While that raised a lot of questions regarding his future intentions of being a head coach, at the same time, the status of Andrew Luck’s shoulder was very much unknown. Instead, he decided to return to Belichick knowing another opportunity would present itself.

That opportunity is here and it’s far better than the one in Indianapolis. In Green Bay, McDaniels would work with the most talented quarterback in NFL history for the next five years. He would have no stubborn owner to go through and a front office that is more willing than ever to spend money in free agency.

Sure, there’s a reason to believe McDaniels and Rodgers might butt heads, but at least he won’t back down the way McCarthy did. McDaniels wins at all costs even if it means challenging a legendary signal caller. Plus, Rodgers is on record saying he enjoys being coached.

The Packers will want a coach who comes from a winning background. McDaniels is a part of a dynasty in New England where he commands respect, and to top it all off, he is probably the best available candidate.  Murphy and Gutekunst could make a showy hire by choosing from the college ranks, but there’s no way to teach NFL experience in one offseason. A bad hire could further close the window Rodgers has left.

McDaniels is not only safe but could provide an instant return. After all, he’s been a part of eight super bowl teams since 2001. Now Murphy and Gutekunst need to make it happen.