Patriots Duo Reportedly No Longer Favorites For Raiders Coach, GM Jobs

The odds of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler teaming up to take over the Las Vegas Raiders reportedly have dwindled.

McDaniels and Ziegler had been viewed as the favorites for the Raiders’ head coach and general manager jobs, respectively, according to a report Wednesday from The Athletic’s Vic Tafur. But the “strong buzz” around those two New England Patriots coworkers “seems to have been quickly muted.”

“McDaniels apparently had been calling coaches around the league about putting together a staff, but it appears something happened in the last 24 hours,” Tafur wrote Wednesday afternoon. “League sources don’t know if the issue was about compensation or the power structure in Las Vegas or both, but it seems Ziegler and McDaniels are not the leaders in the clubhouse anymore.”

Ziegler, the Patriots’ director of player personnel, interviewed with Las Vegas last Friday. McDaniels has yet to do so — or even receive an official interview request — but multiple reports suggested New England’s longtime offensive coordinator could join Ziegler as part of a package deal.

McDaniels and Ziegler have worked together in Foxboro, Mass., since 2013. Previously, they were teammates at John Carroll University, and McDaniels hired Ziegler for his first NFL job during his brief stint as the Denver Broncos’ head coach.

Retaining McDaniels would be a boon for the Patriots’ offense, maintaining continuity for quarterback Mac Jones as he enters his second pro season. Keeping Ziegler would be beneficial, too. His first offseason in his current role — the highest in New England’s personnel department behind Bill Belichick — featured the best Patriots draft class in recent memory and a wave of impact free agent signings.

The Raiders also have interviewed Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as they search for Jon Gruden’s permanent replacement. It’s unclear whether Mayo, who also interviewed with Denver, is a favored candidate for that opening.