Josh McDaniels insisted there are no hard feelings between himself and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady after television cameras captured a heated argument between them during Sunday’s win over the Buffalo Bills.
“This is a very competitive game,” McDaniels said Tuesday in a conference call. “An emotional game. Things like that can happen. Being in the game a long time and understanding Tommy’s a very emotional person and emotional player — it’s part of what makes him great — you understand that those things happen.”
The sideline blowout followed a third-down incompletion on New England’s first possession, with Brady shouting at McDaniels after the offensive coordinator told him a receiver had been “wide open” on the play.
Brady brushed off the spat after the game — which the Patriots won 23-3Â — saying he and McDaniels had moved on from it. McDaniels agreed.
“You know it’s never personal,” the coach said. “You move on quickly from it. We did, and we have. I love Tom and all of the things he stands for and all the things he does for our team. That’s just a situation where you understand it and move on quickly from it, and you focus on your job.”
In McDaniels’ eyes, Brady’s emotion stems from an unrelenting desire for success, which McDaniels said he shares.
“I just know that we’re all trying to win the game,” McDaniels said. “And sometimes things like that happen, and you move on from them, and you try to win the game, and you be a professional. That’s all I know, and that’s what we did, and that’s what we’ve done. We’re focused on getting ready for the Dolphins now.”
