Patriots’ coordinators know the drill this time of year

Josh McDaniels (left) and Matt Patricia are both being mentioned as candidates for a head coaching position.Winslow Townson/AP

The Patriots are preparing for the playoffs (OK, first the Jets) while plenty of other teams are packing things up and preparing for 2018 and beyond.

For several franchises that means head coaching searches are underway, or about to be underway. Both coordinators from New England, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia, were included on the annual list of head coaching candidates distributed by the NFL’s Career Advisory Panel last week.

“We’ll just see what happens, like always,” McDaniels said on a conference call Tuesday.

McDaniels has gotten used to the process. With the Patriots having secured a first-round bye, he and Patricia would be allowed to interview during that week. Should a team want a second interview with either of them, that team would have to wait until the Patriots season is over or, if they make the Super Bowl, the extra week between the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl.

“That’s something that will take care of itself once the season is over,” McDaniels said.

Patricia said he wasn’t giving the process any thought.

“Yeah there’s nothing really there to even discuss,” Patricia said. “Right now it’s all about the Jets.”

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