Josh McDaniels still answering for way he spurned Colts

ATLANTA — A year ago, Josh McDaniels was thought to be on his way out with the Patriots. McDaniels had accepted the head-coaching job with the Colts, but was not able to sign a contract until after the Super Bowl, per NFL rules.

Then, things changed.

McDaniels backed out of the Colts job, choosing to stay in his role as Patriots offensive coordinator. It’s been a topic of discussion this week with McDaniels saying he has some regrets.

“It’s a lot that goes into it,” McDaniels said this week. “I think at the end of the day you have to make the best decision for yourself and your family. I’ve said this a number of times: The timing of all that stuff was not. … I wasn’t proud of any of that stuff.

“Really happy for their success in Indianapolis this year and a significant amount of respect for those guys and excited they had a good year, the year that they had, and a very, very bright future.”

As for McDaniels, he has returned to one of the best jobs in the NFL — working with quarterback Tom Brady. The two have formed a strong duo that has kept the Patriots rolling.

Many believe McDaniels will get another shot at being a head coach. The Packers interviewed him for their opening a few weeks ago. Some believe he will succeed Bill Belichick. As for now, he loves working with Brady.

“We have a process that we believe in,” McDaniels said. “He works extremely hard and I think our relationship is built on trust and respect. I think we care deeply for one another as people.

“We know that we’re going to get the best effort from the other guy every single day. Win, lose or draw, we always try to stay within ourselves and say, ‘All right, what can we do to get better?’ ”

McDaniels said he and Brady have learned to work together through all these years. He was with the Patriots from 2001-08 and then left to be the head coach of the Broncos. He returned to New England in 2012 and reunited with Brady.

“It’s been something we’ve had to work on,” McDaniels said of the relationship. “We’re two really, really competitive people. We have strong beliefs, most of the time those are aligned.

“Every once in a while there’s a disagreement. That’s OK. That’s football. We respect each other. To have an opportunity to continue to compete with him, it’s an incredible experience. I’ll cherish it for the rest of my career.”