Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia will be busy during the New England Patriots’ playoff bye week.
Both Patriots coordinators are expected to interview for at least one vacant head-coaching position, according to reports.
Patricia, who has coached the Patriots’ defense since 2012, appears to be one of the favorites to take over the Detroit Lions after they fired head coach Jim Caldwell on Monday morning. Patricia reportedly plans to interview for that job.
Lions general manager Bob Quinn is a former Patriots executive. Also among those reportedly interviewing is former New England linebacker Mike Vrabel.
McDaniels, the mastermind of New England’s offense since 2012, reportedly will interview for the Indianapolis Colts job, which opened up when the team fired Chuck Pagano on Sunday.
McDaniels’ name also has been mentioned in connection with the open Chicago Bears job. The Bears, who fired John Fox on Monday, reportedly want an offensive-minded head coach — the words “QB guru” have been mentioned — to help rookie quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in his development.
The New York Giants were the first team to fire their coach this season, and they have yet to name Ben McAdoo’s successor. McDaniels and Patricia are “1 and 1A” on the Giants’ head-coaching wish list, sources told Gary Myers of the New York Daily News.
Giants owner John Mara and newly hired GM Dave Gettleman are expected to travel to Foxboro, Mass., this week to meet with both coordinators, per Myers.
Neither McDaniels nor Patricia has been liked to the Oakland Raiders, who reportedly are expected to hire coach-turned-ESPN analyst Jon Gruden to take over for Jack Del Rio.
UPDATE (3:20 p.m. ET): The Arizona Cardinals, in need of a new head coach after Bruce Arians announced his retirement, have requested to interview both Patricia and Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
