New England Patriots coordinators Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels have one-track minds this week.
Patricia and McDaniels, both of whom received interest from various teams with head coaching vacancies since the regular season closed, said separately they are concentrating fully on the Kansas City Chiefs, the Patriots’ divisional-round playoff opponents.
“Really, for me, this is all about Kansas City right now,” Patricia said in a conference call with the media Monday. “That is where my focus is and that is kind of where my attention is, talking about Kansas City.”
Patricia, the Patriots’ defensive coordinator since 2012, interviewed with the Cleveland Browns last week, the team announced Saturday. Both Patricia and McDaniels received interest from the Miami Dolphins, who wound up hiring ex-Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
“I’m focused on the Chiefs,” McDaniels said in the same conference call. “There’s nothing to report. I’m excited for this week right now. Don’t really have anything to add to it.”
McDaniels reportedly turned down all interviews last week to focus on the Patriots’ upcoming playoff game. He hasn’t taken that approach in the past.
“I think each year is different,” McDaniels said. “My focus is on the Chiefs and getting our team ready this year for this game. I’m excited to get to start on that preparation with the players this week.”
The Browns, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans still have head coaching vacancies. The Detroit Lions’ job also could open up after they hired ex-Patriots pro scouting director Bob Quinn to serve as general manager.
McDaniels is on his second stint as Patriots offensive coordinator. His first lasted from 2006 to 2008, when he left to serve as the Denver Broncos’ head coach. He returned to the Patriots in 2012.
“I think there is a lot of experiences you have in coaching,” McDaniels said. “And if you learn from the experiences as you go through them, whether it’s as a coordinator or position coach, a quality-control coach, a head coach, whatever it might be, and you learn from those mistakes you make.
“You learn from those experiences, take the good, take the bad and try to assess what you can do to be a better coach, a better staff member, what have you. Hopefully, we’re all improving. That’s the goal. Right now, my focus is on being the best coordinator and quarterback coach I can be for us, so we can be ready and have our best game of the year against the Chiefs right now.”
The Patriots play the Chiefs on Saturday at 4:35 p.m. ET. The Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 30-0 to advance to the second round of the AFC playoffs.
Thumbnail photo via Matthew Emmons/USA TODAY Sports Images
