How real is Josh McDaniels’ interest in the Las Vegas Raiders? So real that he’s reportedly stonewalled all other head-coaching inquiries this offseason.
NFL Media’s Mike Giardi reported Friday, citing league sources, that McDaniels has “rebuffed other job openings during this hiring period.”
“So to take this (Raiders) interview shows how serious this is,” Giardi tweeted.
McDaniels, the New England Patriots’ longtime offensive coordinator, reportedly will interview with the Raiders on Sunday and is considered the favorite in their coaching search. If hired, he’d likely be joined by Patriots director of player personnel Dave Ziegler, who interviewed for Las Vegas’ general manager opening last week.
Ziegler and McDaniels have a long-standing relationship that dates back to their time as college teammates at John Carroll University. McDaniels also hired Ziegler for his first NFL job during his brief stint as the Denver Broncos’ head coach.
The Raiders are one of nine NFL teams that will change head coaches this offseason, and theirs is the only vacancy to which McDaniels has been directly linked. Las Vegas also has interviewed Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.
Sources close to McDaniels like his chances of landing the Raiders job, according to a report Friday from The Athletic’s Jeff Howe. The 45-year-old has overseen the Patriots’ offense since 2013 and has spent 18 of the last 21 seasons on New England’s coaching staff.
