Josh and Ben McDaniels have coached against each other in the NFL before.
But, not with the stakes this high.
The offensive coordinator of the Patriots and wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator for the Texans will square off in a meeting of the minds in a playoff game for the first time. Josh obviously has much more experience in these big game situations and rings to show for some of it, but Ben has been a part of NFL and college staffs for the last 22 years. Ben was also in Denver as the quarterbacks coach with Peyton Manning, so he’s got a legend of his own on the résumé as well.
During his weekly chat with the media on Thursday, Josh was asked about facing Ben in a playoff game for the first time and if it felt different.
“Yup,” McDaniels said bluntly with a grin, drawing a laugh from another crowded session in the media workroom. “It does. Again, I’m not competing against him. We’re competing against the Texans and this will be a helluva game. It’s going to be an enormous challenge. So, one of us will lose and one of us will win.
“We know that going into the game and I’m going to do everything in my power, everything I can do in my role to help us win. I’m sure he’s going to do the same.”
McDaniels also talked about growing up in a competitive household, which makes this game just like everything else the two have done their entire lives.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “Obviously, being able to watch him play after I had gotten done playing and all the rest of it…kind of grew up in a coach’s household with my dad. Just super proud of what (Ben’s) been able to do and obviously, these are interesting situations when you find yourself competing with your sibling. But, it’s a little bit more interesting for my parents than anybody else.
“No, we’re looking forward to the opportunity and I know he’s trying to beat us, just like we’re trying to beat him.”
If Josh is able to help Drake Maye and the offense past this elite Houston defense, the elder McDaniels might have to let his younger brother hear about it during the summer.
“I think this is our fourth time being able to do this, just a little bit more at stake,” he added.