You can take Josh McDaniels out of the Patriots, but you can’t take the Patriots out of Josh McDaniels. Here’s a look at his recent roster moves.
The Las Vegas Raiders need to rename themselves the “Las Vegas Patriots” after this offseason, as the team just added a few of Josh McDaniels’ old friends in Foxborough.
McDaniels spent over a decade as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator prior to becoming the Raiders head coach, and he clearly made memorable connections during his time there .
His roots run deep in New England, and it only makes sense that he would want to bring some of his old friends and coworkers over to Las Vegas, perhaps for a fresh start.
On Tuesday, NFL’s Ian Rapoport reported that former Pats backup quarterback Brian Hoyer signed a two-year deal with the Raiders, reuniting him with McDaniels in 2023.
On the same day, it was revealed that the Raiders were hiring ex-Pats wide receiver Danny Amendola to be an assistant coach who will specialize in returners.
Josh McDaniels continues to add ex-Pats with backup QB Brian Hoyer, coach Danny Amendola
Hoyer, check. Amendola, check. Now McDaniels is just waiting on Mac Jones.
McDaniels and Hoyer worked together for roughly three and a half years as Hoyer bounced back and forth between as many as seven teams in his NFL career. Hoyer will be the No. 2 quarterback behind Jimmy Garoppolo (who also played with the Patriots at one point!), and knowing Garoppolo’s injury history, Hoyer may see a handful of meaningful snaps this season.
Hoyer played backup to Mac Jones last year for the Patriots and started one game, which he had to leave early due to a concussion.
Stats aside, what Hoyer and Amendola both boast is just a crazy amount of experience on the Patriots. In total, Hoyer spent eight seasons in New England, including the 2018 season when he played behind Tom Brady and won his sole Super Bowl.
Amendola spent five seasons with the Patriots and won two Super Bowls, making a name for himself as one of the franchise’s most efficient punt and kickoff returners.
The Raiders now have over 20 members — both players and coaches — who have spent time with the Patriots, and it would appear that McDaniels, who enters his second season at the helm of Las Vegas, is trying to mold his current team into his old one.
The last thing he has to do is find a way to trade for Mac Jones, and the Raiders-Patriots Gauntlet will be complete. Jones’ latest fiery trade rumors suggest this could actually become a reality…. Will half of the team succumb to injuries in 2023? We’ll find out.
