Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen says head coach Josh McDaniels is coming back in 2011....unless he isn't. The Broncos owner told Thomas George of FanHouse.com on Monday that McDaniels would be returning to the Broncos, which was slightly surprising because the Broncos are having a pretty miserable season. They're just 3-8 and coming off of a league-issued fine to the team and to McDaniels for a Broncos employee illegally taping a San Francisco 49ers walk-through.
Later on Monday, Bowlen apparently had a change of heart, issuing a new statement on McDaniels' future to the Denver Post that was far less certain of his future in Denver.
"This has been a very trying and disappointing season for all of us," Bowlen said in his statement. "We haven't had the success we had hoped to achieve. Josh McDaniels is the head coach of the Broncos, and you always strive for stability at that position. However, with five games left in the 2010 season, we will continue to monitor the progress of the team and evaluate what's in the best interest of this franchise."
It's possible Bowlen realized he doesn't want the coach of a 3-8 team to be feel too comfortable.
The reason some think McDaniels will be safe next year is that Bowlen is still paying former coach Mike Shanahan so firing McDaniels, and hiring a new coach, would put three coaches on the payroll.