The New England Patriots and Houston Texans are preparing for a battle at Gillette Stadium this Sunday with an AFC championship game on the line, but there’s something else at stake for Pats offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — sibling bragging rights.
Josh McDaniels is four years older than his brother, Ben, the wide receivers coach for the Texans, but both bring the same intensity to their respective sidelines — even when the two find themselves on opposite sides in the NFL playoffs.
The McDaniels brothers grew up in a football household, shaped by a father who coached and instilled a deep love for the game. Now, that shared upbringing has led to a rare postseason showdown that carries a little extra weight for the family.
“We kind of grew up in a coaches household with my dad,” Josh McDaniels said. “Just super proud of what he’s been able to do. 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.”
The brothers have faced each other during the regular season, but Josh McDaniels admitted the stakes feel higher in the postseason.
“Yep. It does,” he said when asked if the playoffs make it different.
Those around the teams have noticed how closely the two mirror each other in their approach.
“They’re a lot similar for regards to how you work and the time that you put in and how serious they take it,” Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. “They love football. I can tell there’s a little brother rivalry there. We’ll see how Sunday goes — if they throw the gloves off or talk to each other.”
Diggs, who formerly played for the Texans, was coached by Ben McDaniels last season in Houston. He says he has respect for both brothers and understands the dynamic.
“I appreciated my time in Houston,” Diggs said. “He’s someone that I actually got a lot of respect for. Spent a lot of time with him. Learned a lot. I think they’ve got that older brother, little brother thing, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Inside the locker room, however, players insist the family storyline won’t affect the outcome.
“No, I don’t care,” Patriots offensive lineman Morgan Moses said. “I don’t care. We playing football. We going to line up on Sunday and we going to get going.”
For the brothers themselves, the focus remains on the job at hand, even with bragging rights on the line.
“One of us will lose and one of us will win, and so we know that going into the game,” Josh McDaniels said. “I’m going to do everything in my power that I can do in my role to help us win, and I’m sure he’s going to do the same.”
When the ball is kicked off Sunday, family ties will take a back seat — at least until the final whistle.
