NFL May Adopt ‘Josh McDaniels Rule’ for Coaches

It would allow a coach to sign a contract with his new team while still coaching for his old team.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels walks on the field before the game. The New England Patriots host the Tennessee Titans in an NFL AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels walks on the field before the game. The New England Patriots host the Tennessee Titans in an NFL AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Boston Globe via Getty Images

After verbally agreeing to become the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts while still coaching the Patriots in the playoffs, New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels got cold feet and backed out following the Super Bowl.

It wouldn’t have been that big of a deal, except the Colts looked really foolish because the team had already officially announced the hiring.

The reason McDaniels was able to get out of the deal is that, technically, there never was one as he was unable to sign a contract with Indianapolis due to an NFL policy that prevents coaches from signing with a new team while still working for their old one.

The league doesn’t want a similar situation to happen again, so the NFL Competition Committee is considering introducing a non-official “Josh McDaniels Rule” that would reverse the current policy, according to ProFootballTalk.

“For too many years we’ve tried to hold that line on you can’t sign a contract but you can have an understanding,” committee chair Rich McKay told PFT. “We just felt like we need to get over that hurdle and say you can sign a contract. It doesn’t mean you can work, but you can sign the contract.”

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