New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick has confirmed that Josh McDaniels will be the team's offensive coordinator next season.
On NFL Network
"NFL Replay" will re-air the
Giants' 21-17 win over the
Patriots in
Super Bowl XLVI on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. ET.
McDaniels was brought in during the playoffs to serve as an "offensive assistant." He was widely seen as the heir to offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, who had been hired to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State.
But it wasn't official until Belichick confirmed the move on Monday, a day after the Patriots lost 21-17 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.
McDaniels was the Patriots' offensive coordinator from 2006-08 until he left to become head coach of the Denver Broncos. He lasted just 28 games before he was fired with a 3-9 record in 2010. He was the offensive coordinator for the Rams this season.
Speaking at a news conference, Belichick also took the time to thank Patriots fans, many of whom greeted the team upon its arrival at Gillette Stadium.
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"It's great to see our fans out there who were here," Belichick said. "To be here when the buses pulled up, that says a lot about those people and the fan base we have here. It's much, much appreciated by all of us."
Belichick added that no big decisions would be made coming off an emotional loss, but said he was "real proud" of the team.
"I have all the respect in the world for the team and the players for what they've done for over six months," Belichick said. "It's not about one game or one play or anything, it's the whole body of work. I really enjoyed coaching this team. I have a lot of respect for them."
The Associated Press contributed to this report
