As the New England Patriots gear up for next Sunday’s championship game, their longtime offensive coordinator is preparing for his 10th Super Bowl appearance. With 14 years on the team’s staff, Josh McDaniels has a level of experience that is nearly unmatched in the NFL. Having been through the intense spotlight many times before, he is an expert at managing the mental and logistical challenges that come with the high-stakes two-week buildup to the big game. 

McDaniels’ career took off during the famous Brady-Belichick era when he was a key staff member during all nine of the Patriots’ Super Bowl runs, helping the team win six world titles. Now, he is focused on adding another ring to his collection in the 2025 championship appearance.

McDaniels credits much of his achievement to the support of his parents. His passion for the sport began in his youth, when he spent his time watching his father’s football practices. Those early days on the sidelines inspired him to pursue coaching as a lifelong career. 

Who is Josh McDaniels’s father, Thom McDaniels?

Thom McDaniels is a legendary figure in Ohio high school football. Over a career spanning 40 years, Thom established himself as one of the most respected minds in the sport, spending 26 of those years as a head coach. 

He led several prominent programs, including Warren G. Harding, Canton McKinley, and Massillon Jackson High Schools. His massive contributions to the sport eventually earned him a well-deserved spot in the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame.

The peak of his coaching career came in 1997 during his first stint at Canton McKinley. That season, he guided his team to both state and national championships, a feat that led USA Today to name him the National High School Football Coach of the Year. 

His excellence on the sidelines also caught the eye of professional organizations when he was named a finalist for the NFL High School Coach of the Year award in both 2004 and 2010.

Who is Josh McDaniels’s mother, Chris McDaniels?

Josh McDaniels’ mother is Chris McDaniels, a woman who has remained a steady presence in his life. Back in 1970, she reached a personal milestone by graduating from Doylestown High School.

What is Josh McDaniels’s parents’ ethnicity and nationality?

Josh McDaniels and his family have kept their personal history very straightforward. While people are often curious about their heritage, the former coach and his parents haven’t shared many specific details. They have simply described themselves as white Americans with deep roots in Ohio.

What we know for sure is that their nationality is American. 

How is Josh McDaniels’s relationship with his parents? 

Josh McDaniels shares a deeply rooted connection with his family, built on a lifelong bond through football. Growing up in Ohio, he frequently attended his father’s games. The support system was a two-way street, as the family championed Josh’s transition from a college wide receiver at John Carroll University to the professional coaching ranks. 

Although Josh was never drafted as a player, his family was immensely proud when he landed his first NFL role with the New England Patriots in 2001. Their pride only grew when he achieved the significant milestone of being named the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009 at just 32 years old. 

Throughout his career, his mother, father, brother Ben, who is also an NFL coach, and his grandmother have remained his most dedicated supporters, celebrating the numerous Super Bowl titles and professional heights he has reached. 

The story of Josh McDaniels is inseparable from the foundation laid by his parents, Thom and Chris McDaniels. While Josh has become a household name in the NFL, now heading into Super Bowl LX with the New England Patriots, everyone hopes that he secures another victory under his leadership.