Josh McDaniels Expected to Be Colts Next Coach – Is He the Right Guy? [POLL]
Multiple outlets, including NFL.com, are reporting the Indianapolis Colts are expected to offer Patriots Offensive Coordinator, Josh McDaniels, their head coaching position once New England's season comes to end. But, is he the guy fans want?
Let's be honest here. We Colts fans were pretty spoiled between the years of 1998 and 2012 with Peyton Manning under center. Seven consecutive seasons of 12-plus wins (2002 through 2009), and nine straight trips to the playoffs (2002 through 2010), which included two Super Bowl trips, and one championship. Then Andrew Luck stepped in and took them to the playoffs three straight seasons. Not counting the 2011 season Manning missed due to his neck issues, that's over a decade of success which is what made the past three seasons so painful to watch.
When the team fired Chuck Pagano on New Year's Day, it ignited a new hope in the fan base. But who would take over? Several names were floated out there, and the team interviewed a number of candidates over the past couple of weeks, but the one that kept getting mentioned over and over again was McDaniels. Based on reports from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the job is basically his, however the Colts can't officially offer it to him until New England's season is over which could end this weekend in the AFC Championship against Jacksonville, but, in my opinion, will more likely end with yet another Super Bowl Championship on February 4th (insert vomiting emoji here).
Reaction to the potential hire has been mixed on social media with some not even remotely excited about the possibility, including the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyle, who had one just one question after the reports started surface — why?
You see, McDaniels has been a head coach before. He had a stint with the Denver Broncos that didn't go well. He went 11-17 before being fired during his second year with the team in 2010. He traded away Jay Cutler, he drafted Tim Tebow late in the first round of the draft, both unpopular decisions with the fan base. He was also reportedly more dictator than coach which led to the players not wanting to play for him.
But that was eight years ago, when he was only 33 years old. I don't know about you, but I'm a different person now at 41 then I was at 33. You mature, you learn things, what works, what doesn't. I'm inclined to believe McDaniels has learned from his past mistakes, and I'm willing to give him a chance as a Colts fan.
What do you think? Do you think McDaniels is the guy that can turn things around in Indianapolis? Cast your vote in the poll below.