Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - Just Josh-in? Patriots’ OC might be headed to Philly — 1/18/2021

Episode Date: January 18, 2021

Things got a bit more interesting in New England this weekend, amidst reports that Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was scheduled to interview for the vacant head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles. Joining host Mike D’Abate is fan-favorite Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy, as the duo discuss Josh’s potential fit in Philadelphia, and who might succeed him on the Pats’ offensive coaching staff. They also provide their thoughts on the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, and the continued success of Tampa Bay (and ex-Pat) Tom Brady.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON,” and you’ll get 20% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. EchelonGo to EchelonFit.com/LockedOn and try any Echelon Fitness equipment at home for 30 days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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You are locked on Patriots, your daily new England Patriots podcast, part of the locked on podcast network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. You are now locked into the Lockdown Patriots podcast. Today is Monday, January 18th, 2021, a day in which we honor the late, great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

And it is also a hashtag Lockdown Murph Monday here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation, and thank you for choosing to start your week by joining me here today on Locked On Patriots. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, comments, and feedback

are always welcomed and very much appreciated. Feel free to share that feedback anytime by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC. And while you're out there doing some Monday meddling through the Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked on Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, I don't know about you, but with each playoff game I watch during the offseason, reality sets in a little bit more that the New England Patriots are not a part of the

playoffs. I know, call me Captain Obvious all you want, but it's still a bitter pill to swallow up here in New England that a team that's been a fixture in the playoffs for almost two decades now is not a part of them this year. That being said, there are still some expats out there doing some pretty great things. And this weekend, probably the most beloved Patriot of all time punched his ticket to his 14th conference championship game. Of course, I'm talking about Tom Brady and those Buccaneers down in Tampa.

A 30-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints has the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one game away from being the first team to ever host a Super Bowl in its home stadium, but this will not be an easy one because on Saturday, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers punched their ticket to the NFC Championship game, a 32-18 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. So it's going to be Brady versus Rogers, the Battle of the Bays, Tampa Bay versus Green Bay next Sunday for the right to play in the Super Bowl. And the winner of that game will take on the winner of the AFC championship game, which will be played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The defending Super Bowl champions will host the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills putting together a solid defensive game plan to control Lamar Jackson and that high-powered Baltimore Ravens offense. The Bills with a 17-3 victory punch their ticket to the AFC Championship game. And, of course, a scary moment over the weekend when Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes knocked out of the game late in the second half with a concussion, but some gutsy play calling by Andy Reid and some pretty savvy quarterback play by backup Chad Henney allows the Chiefs to hold off a late game surge by the Cleveland Browns. They are victorious 22-17, thus setting up the Final Four in the National Football League.

The Green Bay Packers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs. Two great matchups next weekend for conference championship weekend, and there is certainly no shortage of storylines. But up here in New England, I think we'd all be lying if we didn't say that Tampa Bay and Green Bay is probably going to be watched a little closer than Kansas City and Buffalo. And I say that with no disrespect to the Buffalo Bills. They're still a formidable division rival and probably have a stranglehold on that division for at least the next couple of years. But let's face it, it's Tom Brady. I don't care what uniform the man is wearing, there will still always be a part of him that isn't a Wingland Patriot. And of course, Rob Gronkowski's still playing down in Tampa. Yeah, I know Antonio Brown's playing down there too. But both Tom and Rob still

have a strong fan base up here. And even though it's definitely not the same, it still feels like a part of Patriots Nation is still going strong into the playoffs. But is that the most intriguing storyline from a Patriots perspective heading into the conference championships? Well, to help me answer that question and much more is my guest today. And it's Monday, folks, so you know what that means. It's time for the hashtag LockedOnMurphMonday appearance of our good friend, the Green King

of Sting himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy joins us here today on the hot seat. And we will get Murph's take on the weekend's action. Which of the teams not named the Tampa Bay Buccaneers impressed him the most? We'll also discuss Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the high level at which he continues to play and whether this Tampa Bay team is capable of going into Lambeau Field in Wisconsin over the weekend and helping to send Tom Brady to yet another Super Bowl appearance. But fear not everyone, this is still Locked On Patriots and even though we will be talking

about some expats that played over the weekend, the New England Patriots made some headlines of their own. Might they be in the market for a new offensive coordinator? Well, at the time that you're listening to this, it's quite possible they already might be in the hunt. But over the weekend, we learned that Josh McDaniels, who had not been coveted as much as a lot of us thought for a head coaching job, was about to spend his Sunday interviewing for one. And boy, did he spend several hours in that interview. All signs might just be pointing to Josh McDaniels being the new head coach of the Philadelphia

Eagles. Ann Murph and I will discuss what type of fit Josh might be in Philadelphia, why he was or wasn't surprised that Josh wasn't considered for another head coaching job this offseason. And last but certainly not least, why if offered the position in Philly, this might be an offer that Josh McDaniels can't refuse. And last but certainly not least, if in fact the Patriots will be without Josh McDaniels' services in 2021, who will take over as the new

offensive coordinator here in Foxborough? Well, the Patriots have plenty of internal options, as well as several intriguing external options. Murph and I will discuss those options and which way we think the Patriots plenty of internal options as well as several intriguing external options. Murph and I will discuss those options and which way we think the Patriots will lean and which way they should lean. Folks, an action-packed agenda to kick off your week here on the pod. Always a crowd pleaser. Always a lot of fun when my man Murph stops by for his weekly appearance.

And in just a moment, we will kick off hashtag Lockdown Murph Monday right here on the Lockdown Patriots podcast when we return. But first, I pause for just a moment to honor and remember the legacy of a great American. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most prominent spokespersons and leaders in the American civil rights movement, and he remains one of the most inspirational figures in history for his pursuit of equal rights and his nonviolent approach to civil rights protests. And among so many admirable traits among his legacy, Dr. King was known for his pursuit of equal rights and his non-violent approach to civil rights protests.

And among so many admirable traits among his legacy, Dr. King was known for his inspirational quotes, and as someone that loves to incorporate quotes both into my written work and also here on the podcast, I wanted to share one with you today that I thought was very poignant considering the direction of our country at this point. Dr. King once said, quote, Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate. Violence multiplies violence. And toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. The chain reaction of evil hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars, must be broken or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation. Folks, violence and hate don't solve problems. Working together does,

and nobody understood that more than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I encourage you to pause today to reflect on Dr. King's messages whose purpose were to bring about a society in which true justice and equality reign supreme. Perhaps today more than ever, those are messages that this nation needs most of all. Lockdown listeners, when it comes to getting or staying in shape, nothing feels as good as that feeling of accomplishment, of hitting your fitness goals, and feeling great about yourself. And since we're in the season of New Year's resolutions, try to keep that resolution this year.

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if you listen to the new Locked On Bets podcast hosted by your boy Q and handicapping expert Lee Sterling. Get daily picks and quick hitting advice to make the smartest possible wagers. Subscribe to the Lockdown Bets podcast brought to you by betonline.ag wherever you get your podcasts. Patriots fans, your New England Patriots may not be playing playoff football, but there is still a lot to discuss with this team. And throughout the coming days and weeks here on the pod,

we will take a deeper dive into the Patriots 2020 season and what it means for 2021. But here today on the pod, we continue to break the surface. And because it's Monday, you know what that means. It's that time again, folks. Your favorite and mine, my benefactor in this business, the count of Murphy Fisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy isisto himself, the legendary Thomas Murphy is back here is for his weekly appearance here on Locked On Patriots. Thank you for coming to me in friendship and for joining me today.

Don Murph. I wouldn't be Monday if you didn't ask me to come on, Mike. Thanks so much. Well, you know, Murph, a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man. And, you know, I mean, holiday weekends are always a good time to spend with the family. So, you know, it's always my pleasure and always my honor to have you here, buddy. And whether the Patriots are playing or whether they're in the headlines or not, it's always a lot of fun. And Patriots actually did make a little bit of waves in news over the weekend.

And we'll break that down in just a second, folks. But, Murph, the conference championships are now set, and even though it still doesn't set well in a lot of people in these parts, that the Patriots are not a part of these festivities, there were a pair of exciting games on the horizon that we need to look forward to this weekend. And the AFC East Division champions, the buffalo bills well they're uh they're going to kansas city kansas city here i come all right folks i won't sing anymore uh i'll stop but uh the bills are going to take on the defending champion chiefs at arrowhead and of course

for nfc supremacy the consensus 2020 mvp aaron rogers and the Green Bay Packers hosting at Lambeau Field the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a certain 43-year-old quarterback that we know pretty well up here in these parts. And folks, don't worry. Murph and I are going to discuss Tom Brady and the Bucs in just a moment. But first, buddy, I was hoping that you might lend your green wisdom and counsel that we need so desperately, like so many nickels and dimes, on the matchups from Saturday and Sunday's divisional round, Murph, what did you learn about the teams that were in action? And putting Tom and Tampa aside for just one moment, which of the last teams standing

impresses you the most as we head toward conference championship weekend? Well, you know, it really pains me to say it, but it's the Chiefs. What they were able to accomplish on Sunday was, I don't want to say super impressive, but it showed me that this team, even when smacked in the face, excuse any reference there, but that they can still get it done. They didn't fold. They didn't quit. They didn't say, well, we just lost our MVP and our leader.

They kept rolling, and they played some good defense in the final quarter when they had to. Chad Henney came in and kept the ball rolling for them. And I'd just like to say, though, you know, how can you consider somebody the GOAT when Chad Henney can come in and win a playoff game for you? Are we possibly saying that Kansas City's system might be responsible for their success? It might be. Oh, my God, folks.'s system might be responsible for their success? It might be. Oh, my God, folks.

It just might be, you know. Oh, what are the odds? It might be. It might be a system quarterback. Because we've never heard. I don't know. It could be. I mean, we've never heard that argument ever, ever put on any quarterback's shoulders before.

Why would somebody give credit to a system and not the player itself? You can hear the sarcasm dripping from our voices. But, yeah, exactly. Don't give it to the player itself. You can hear the sarcasm dripping from our voices, but yeah, exactly. Don't give it to the player itself, of course. Right. We don't have anything against Patty Mahomes. We don't. It's his mom and his wife that we can't stand in the media. But it was.

It was a good game it was it was a nice test for them watching pat go down and uh and they still they still got it done and and for a while there i didn't think they were going to i thought that uh things were going to happen but a lot of things broke the right way for that team um the the you know interceptions and and said but when you when you're able to convert that into positives for yourself which we'll talk again later when we're talking about Brady and the Bucs but they got it done. I was also impressed with the way the Bills played defense on Sunday. I thought it was a fantastic

game plan. They were able to get home with their front and just completely confuzzle the Ravens once again. Yeah, absolutely. I'm glad that you mentioned the Bills' defensive game plan because that's something that I talked an awful lot about last week in terms of the last time those two teams meeting in 2019, how the B bills were effectively

able to contain or at least marginally disrupt a guy like lamar jackson one of the problems where they had breakdowns is that their linebackers weren't coming up and giving the secondary help on the side and giving them help in the back they did that on saturday they really played i think a solid defensive game plan i keep coming back to Matt Milano coming back to this defense, and I'm not saying that he's going to be the savior of all saviors for any defense, but really having him in the middle of that linebacking core really changes the complexity of the way this team can play. Now all of a sudden, Tremaine Edmonds can come up and be that floater.

He can drop back into coverage. He can push up and be a part of that defensive front and help put pressure. It allows that front seven, that interior of the defensive line, to be able to stack the box and contain the run. And you saw them do that brilliantly against the Baltimore Ravens. And I agree with you on the Chiefs. I mean, you can't not be impressed by what you saw from them yesterday. You lose your heart and soul. You lose the savior of that team, your quarterback, your leader, Patrick Mahomes. And a guy like Chad Henning comes in. Absolutely, the straw that stirs.

And you've got a guy like Chad Henning come in. You know, good play calling by Andy Reid and Eric Biannimi, who, you know, they look at it and they say, hey, you know what? Fourth and inches, everybody thinks we're going to sneak it. Everybody thinks we're going to ground and pound it. Let's drop back and let's hit Tyree kill for a couple of yards and really solidify this thing. It was, it was, I mean, you know, you have the personnel on staff to do that. When you have someone as quick out of the break and able to find the route so quickly, like a guy like Tyreek Hill, it makes it a little bit easier to make that call.

I'm not, you know, lessening Andy Reid's, you know, intestinal fortitude for going for it there. But at the same time, when you have the personnel, it really develops. And Kansas City showed me one thing yesterday is that they're a complete team. They don't have to necessarily rely solely on Mahomes' strength to be able to win. They can put together a solid game plan, and that defense really showed up big yesterday as well, making key stops, and really, I think, putting the clamps down early on the Cleveland Browns and keeping them on their heels all game.

I'm sorry, go ahead. The only mistake, you could really see the difference in the coaching in this game. I believe Kansas City completely outcoached Cleveland's crew. And it was, I don't understand, I really don't understand the lack of the use of Kareem Hunt in the second half, and especially in that last quarter. And please, everybody, just shut up about the Patriots taking Sonny Michel and not Nick Chubb because there were a couple of really easy drops that he made in the second half that could have changed the outcome

of this game in a huge way. But no, I'm sorry I interrupted. I just wanted to get that last little tidbit in there that a lot of people around here seem to dwell on as to the picking of Sonny Michel over certain quarterbacks that are once again sitting at home right now and a running back that is also once again sitting at home right now. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, grass always looks greener. Hindsight always can be 20-20. But in the moment, you know, you can make all the criticisms and things that you want. Everybody's entitled to their opinion and no one's saying that they don't have the right to feel that way. But to use it as a springboard for an intelligent conversation, well, you know, I think we'll consider the source when it comes to that. And let's just leave it at that. You know what? We were going to get to it eventually. And you hinted

at it earlier. So you know what? Now's as good as time as any. 30 to 20 victory over the New Orleans Saints yesterday. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their Buccaneer crew out of Tortuga is headed to Lambeau Field this weekend. And another NFL, NFC championship game. This is going to be Brady's 14th conference championship game. But our old friend and business partner is doing great things down there in Tampa. And, you know, last week here on the pod, buddy, when you joined me, we talked about that look in Tom's eye. You know, he had it again yesterday. I think we both saw that. What really caught my sharp eye when it came to the Bucs yesterday

was the fact that I thought Tampa as a team had that look. I haven't seen that a lot this year, but we know Tom believes he can win every time he takes the field. I don't think anybody doubts that. Everybody knows the drive this guy has to push himself to be the best on the field. He never wants to lose. He always takes the field and always believes he's going to win. But yesterday, I think Tampa finally bought into it. I saw it on the defense. I saw it on the offense, especially in the second half. Tampa started off a little slow, looked like it was going to be a little bit of a sluggish game, but

they put their heads down and really ground out the game when they needed to. So the question beckons, Bud. Based on what you saw yesterday, can this Buccaneers team get Tom his seventh ring this year? Yeah, I've really come to a moment in my appreciation of the game of football where I can understand that putting a chip on somebody's shoulder is an amazing tool. It's a tool that Tom Brady found here in New England and has taken down there to Tampa. And you're absolutely right. That look in his eye was in everyone's eye. And one of the things that Tom learned here was using

and manipulating people's emotions to put them into the right mind frame for any situation. And he did that yesterday with the Tampa Bay defense. I thought, excuse me, early in the game that, you know, a couple of times I was rolling, here we go again. Here we go again, especially with special teams. But it cleared up like clouds on a spring day, you know, bringing out the sun.

And it allowed this team to function in a way that, um, they were able to, to come away with, with a deciding victory. Um, they started out slow. They didn't score anything in the first, in the first quarter of the game. Um, that, that sounds kind of familiar, doesn't it? And, uh, but then consistently use the saints, um, mistakes to their advantage. And that's what winning football is. That's what a winning team is. Somebody compared this team to the way the Patriots go about their business, and it's true in a way where you're going to sit back, you're going to play tough defense,

and you're going to wait and force somebody into a situation that does not benefit them, and then you go ahead and you capitalize on that. And that's what Tom was able to do yesterday. Yeah, that is exactly what he was able to do yesterday. And we've seen that so many times up here in New England, the grinding out and especially in the latter part of the game, really a very Patriot like victory yesterday in a lot of ways. And this being

locked on patriots yeah we talk a lot about tom brady because he'll always be a patriot in certain circles and there'll always be a part of him that is this franchise but it really did remind me of that old school type battle and he even heard bruce arian say it after the game you know i let tom do the coaching every now and then and uh not for anything, Bruce, that's a smart move. It really is. It really is. Bruce Arians has basically been faking it for his entire career. And they finally have a coach down there.

And I just didn't like the fact that he used that as a shot to New England. I read that this morning. And anybody who's ever watched a New England Patriots practice knows that that's not true, that Tom Brady is out there coaching on every single snap, and he's working every single... Bill might be on point on every single aspect of this game, but while he's on point working with somebody else, believe me, Tom Brady keeps everybody on point on the offense.

Well said. And I don't think it's any stretch of the imagination to say that Tom Brady keeps everybody on point on the offense well said and I don't think it's any stretch of the imagination to say that Tom Brady definitely had the ear of several members of that coaching staff one of whom in particular bud we're going to talk about in just a minute because Murph we've talked some playoffs and we've even done a little prognosticating but enough is enough you're here to talk business let's talk business and your New England Patriots might just be in the market for a new offensive coordinator, folks.

Just when we thought he was back, the city of brotherly love might pull him back out. That's right, folks. Murph and I will talk Josh McDaniels when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues. Locked On listeners, the NFL Final Four is set and we are all ready for some football. There is only one place that has you covered and one place we trust. BetOnline.ag. Sign up today for a free account at BetOnline.ag and use that promo code LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.

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well folks all i can tell you is built bar is just that good go to builtbar.com and use promo code locked on to get 20 off your next order don't delay do it today use promo code locked on for 20 off at builtbar.com pats fans thomas mur is here for his Locked On Murph appearance on the pod. And Bud, we talked playoffs in the previous segment, but again, this is Locked On Patriots. And on Saturday, things got a bit more interesting here in New England when

Bo Wolfe and Zach Jackson of The Athletic both reported that Josh McDaniels was scheduled to interview for the vacant head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles. And the interview did indeed take place on Florida in Florida yesterday. On all indications, this lasted for several hours. And this was actually Josh's first interview of the 2021 hiring cycle.

There are seven teams that were searching for new head coaches out there. But this is the only job that McDaniels has been linked to. And by all accounts, it looks like the only one he will be linked to. Murph, Josh has been a pretty popular candidate in recent years, even though we all know about the fiasco in Indianapolis in 2018. His last interviews came in 2020, last offseason, when he met with the New York Giants, he met with the Cleveland Browns, and he met with the Carolina Panthers. Reportedly, you know, the Cleveland's interview went, you know, deep in terms of time as well. And Stefanski ended up getting that job.

He's got some dirt on the uniform, like we said, the Indianapolis thing, and even this time in Denver. But I was a little surprised that he didn't get more attention as a coaching candidate this year. Murph, do you believe that Josh deserves another shot at a head coaching job, and do you think he'd be a good fit in Philadelphia? I do think he would be a good fit in Philadelphia, but I don't think Philadelphia would be a good fit for him.

This is a team that is in constant flux, that has serious problems with their cap situation next year, has a quarterback controversy that just is sitting in a pressure cooker and waiting for the heat to be turned back on. I don't think it's a good fit for Josh, and I hope that he's back because, once again, it would be another coach leaving here and pilfering, you know, the coaching staff that happens to be left. And there's not much of a coaching staff that happens to be left here right now. Yeah, it is. It's absolutely true.

And look, you know, bottom line, Josh McDaniels has a good amount of pedigree. And I think some of that is tied to the success that he had with Tom Brady and with Bill Belichick. I don't think either one of those can be understated enough. That said, he is a smart coach. He's very good with quarterbacks. We've seen him work very well with Tom throughout the years. But at the same time, I also look at it and I say, he's had his difficulties in spots where he went before.

And you mentioned the budding quarterback controversy. I'm not so sure that Carson Wentz is going to be the hand-in-glove fit with Josh McDaniels that a lot of people are thinking. Carson does not strike me as the type of quarterback that likes to be coached hard. And Josh McDaniels, for all of his faults, does coach his players hard. It's just he's from that Belichick school. He's gone to that level, and I think he will do that in Philadelphia. Does that mean Jalen Hurts is his guy?

Does that mean that he's going to dip his toe into maybe looking for another quarterback out there on the horizon, if in fact he takes this job, folks? Which at the time Murph and I are recording this podcast, it's not a given that he's taken this job yet. You know, the reports out there that he is the front runner. I know Jeff McClain for the Philadelphia Inquirer had said this morning that he believes Josh to be the front runner. We'll continue to monitor that here on Locked On Patriots.

But at the same time, if he does end up going to Philly, this could end up being a pretty tough job for Josh, maybe not the hand-in-glove fit that he had hoped for if he was indeed to leave New England. I think maybe he would have liked a smoother transition, but beggars can't be choosers at this point, and this might end up being the last opportunity for him to get a head coaching job with his stock slipping when it comes to some of the coordinators out there and some of the great football minds that are in contention for these jobs.

Well, last but certainly not least, Bud, if in fact the Patriots do lose Josh's services, it's going to create a void on the offense. And you mentioned this, that this coaching staff is being picked pretty clean right now when it comes to the Patriots' options. At the very least, it's going to open up the offensive coordinator's job. I know some people will probably be glad to see Josh move on. A lot of criticism about his play calling, things of that nature this year. But say what you will, it's still a solid presence in that locker room. There are no shortage of candidates in terms of names that are out there.

Internally, I guess the names that are being mentioned most prominently are Ivan Fears, the running backs coach, Mick Lombardi, who did a good job with the wide receivers and helped out with the offense this year. Cole Popovich alongside the offensive line. Does he give that title over to Carmen Brasillo full-time? And does Cole become the new OC? Even Troy Brown, a lot of people have mentioned having a shot, has the name capability, the respect factor that could make him an interesting candidate.

Externally, there's the who's who of ex-coaches, I guess, in this league right now. You've got Chad O'Shea out there with Cleveland. There's a possibility Patriots may give him a call to ask him to come back. Anthony Lynn, a guy that I've covered in Los Angeles, has been mentioned as a possibility. I had a thread yesterday on Twitter that detailed why that might not be as crazy of an idea as people think. Jerry Shlopinski, obviously with the Giants, he went over with Joe Judge, but he could come back here with an elevated title. That's a possibility. I've heard Doug Peterson thrown around.

What an old Henry twist that would be. And last but certainly not least, a name that kind of makes Patriots' nascent shudder a little bit, and that's Adam Gase. Murph, when you look at the options that might be out there, if in fact Josh ends up leaving, do you think the Pats are better off going internal or external? And who heads up the Murph leaderboard when it comes to candidates that could essentially try to fill this role? I don't see Bill going externally to somebody that would make the Patriots fans shudder, as you put it. I really don't.

As much as he has built up Adam Gase, I don't think you're going to hear that name as a new OC for the Patriots if this all does happen. I would like to see Ivan Fiers get this job. I really would. He has been here an extremely long time. He's somebody that knows the ins and outs, that knows Bill better than probably anybody else in this league that isn't named Josh McDaniels. So, yes, I would like to see that happen. He's somebody who's very deserving.

If you go outside, I think Bill would be best suited to, you know, welcome back into the house, you know, the kid who went to college and it still just didn't work out. And, you know, it's a little expensive out there. But, you know, Bill O'Brien was a very good offensive coordinator. Things kind of got away from him down in Texas in what was, you know, I could only say a very difficult place to go to work every day once other people were brought into the fold. And I do believe that he might be right at the top of the leaderboard

if Josh does move on. Yeah, and I think that could be a possibility. Look, there's the factor that he is going to be in. You mentioned Bill O'Brien, obviously, just signing on to be able to work with Nick Saban down in Alabama. But if you don't think that that Patriots job, if that opened up, could be an opportunity. I can't imagine he would turn that down. And I can't imagine that Nick Saban would stand in his way if there's anybody that I think he would yield to would be his good buddy, Bill Belichick, and allow him to go back up and to work with the New England Patriots.

So that could be a name out there. That's an interesting one. I have heard that a little bit before, but it's nice to know that it's got some legs. And bottom line, folks, when Murph says it, we all listen. He is the E.F. Hutton of lockdown Patriots, after all. And we listen to everything that the man has to say. But I do agree with you. I think this could be an interesting hire. Sentimentally, I agree. I would love to see Ivan Fiers get this job because I think he's earned it.

I think he's done such an amazing job with this team, with the running backs throughout the years, and especially the last couple of years where the Patriots have been a little more reliant on the run. The job that he did with guys like Damian Harris, even coaching back Sonny Michel,

getting him back into prominence, which for everybody that wants to sit there and say that he's terrible, Sonny actually looked like a pretty solid runner down the stretch. You've got to give a lot of credit to Ivan when it comes to that. He works with these guys and does it well. No doubt. Definitely commands the respect of that locker room. And right now, that might be the most interesting thing for the Patriots

or the most important thing as they head toward an off season of uncertainty. And we'll continue to break it all down for you here on locked on Patriots. But buddy, what can I say? You lend the wisdom, the council, like no other, you are locked on Patriots familia and you always will be folks.

You should already be doing so, but for the benefit of our new listeners, follow my good friend, the count of Murphy Fisto himself on twitter at team murph 207 do not miss murph's monster keys it's the offseason folks but every once in a while he gets a key that he needs to have unlocked and he puts it out there when you turn the keys you become a better football fan you become an aficionado dare i say and they're always always proudly found on diehardbostonsportsfans.com.

Point, click, learn enrichment material each and every time. And of course, never miss an episode of One Patriot's Place with Murph, our great mutual friend Steve Balistrieri, and a voice and an accent we heard last week here on Locked On Patriots, the great Claire, classy Claire Cooper,

our good friend and great support of this program. And I, for one, could not be happier for Claire, you know, and getting the, you know, her voice out there as well, especially when it comes to the tight end position. We had some pretty fun conversations last week. But what can I say? Thank you again. Honored and humbled as always by your presence. No, always my pleasure to be here. And, um, and yeah, thanks. Thanks for throwing that O'Brien net out there for me that, you know, finishing my thought that yes, they, they Saban wouldn't stand in its way of coming back. Oh, absolutely.

Of course. I mean, you know, and it stands to reason that's probably the only guy that I think Nick Saban would show any type of reference for. Maybe the only one he has to in the world of professional football. But those two guys are as close as they come, Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. So who knows, folks? But at the time you're listening to this podcast, Josh may already be there. He may already be in Philly and he may already be standing across and wondering, do I go to Pat's? Do I go to Gino's? Where do I go for the best quality cheesesteak? You know, we'll find out. We will find out, buddy. Yeah, don't sleep on Bien-Ami going to Philly yet. This is not a done deal. They're still interviewing people, including guys that are still playing.

Absolutely. Yeah, so it's not a done deal yet. Definitely. Todd Bowles is still in discussions as well, from what I heard. Also, Joe Brady is someone that I know that the Eagles are high on. So definitely not a done deal yet. But, you know, we live in prognostications right now here in New England. It's all that we've got, Murph.

But hopefully next year at this time we'll be breaking down some playoff action in New England. We live in hope, buddy. Once again, stay safe, stay well. Have a great week. Look forward to talking to you again next week here on Locked on Patriots on your designated spot here on Locked on Murph Monday. Thank you, bud. Always happy to be here.

And just like that, Patriots Nation, one down and four to go in your work week here on the Locked On Patriots podcast. And we will continue to bring you the very latest news notes and analysis from Foxborough. What is the status of Josh McDaniels? At the time you're listening to this podcast, is he already on his way to Philadelphia

or will he be ensconced in Foxborough for at least one more season? Don't miss a single second of the action. Subscribe and download the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as Spotify, Radio.com, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. Just make sure that you're staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Thomas Murphy for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage.

Until tomorrow, Patriots Nation, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.