Nick Caley is a leading OC candidate, but really didn’t want to leave Rams for the Patriots
By the looks of it, Rams pass game coordinator Nick Caley won’t be with the team for long unless he’s promoted, but apparently $3 million per year wasn’t enough for him to agree to join a sinking ship. According to Albert Breer, Caley reportedly turned down that offer to be the Patriots offensive coordinator in 2024, a risky move that looks like it will pay off soon.
Caley is thought to be on the cusp of replacing the recently-fired Bobby Slowik as the next Houston Texans offensive coordinator.
The most interesting thing about #Texans OC interviewee Nick Caley is that he reportedly turned down ~$3 million/year to be Jerod Mayo’s OC last year. Via @AlbertBreer: “I do know Nick got offered almost $3 million a year. The fact that you’re willing to pay a first-time…
— Seth Payne (@SethCPayne) January 30, 2025
Caley, who also coaches tight ends for the Rams, also interviewed with the Buccaneers as a replacement for Liam Coen. Tampa Bay has also interviewed Sean McVay assistants Nate Scheelhaase and Dave Ragone about the opening.
It’s no surprise that New England was interested in Caley because he worked for Bill Belichick for eight years, although he was passed over for the OC job several times. Caley moved over from Belichick to McVay in 2023, one season before Belichick was fired and replaced by Jerod Mayo. Had Caley agreed to be the Patriots OC a year ago, he might have been let go alongside Mayo after the team went 4-13.
Now he has two teams interested in his services, one with C.J. Stroud and the other with Baker Mayfield. Coaching Drake Maye in New England would have had its own benefits, although Caley couldn’t have known at the time if the Patriots would draft Maye or if he would have been a good pick.
You know what’s cooler than $3 million? Not coaching the Patriots without Tom Brady.
