BOSTON (CBS) — Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was believed to be one of the top candidates in the NFL to earn a head coaching job in the offseason. A new report suggests that he won’t become head coach unless it’s in New England.

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, McDaniels is omitted from a new preliminary list of recommended head coaching candidates compiled by the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel. A source with knowledge of the list believes McDaniels’ name is absent because he intends to stay with the Patriots and take over as head coach when Bill Belichick retires.

Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, however, is reportedly on the panel’s list. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, formerly head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, is another notable name to appear.

Tony Dungy, Bill Polian, John Madden, and Charley Casserly are among the notable names to serve on the panel, who will finalize their list by Dec. 8 and distribute it to teams on Dec. 10. If the preliminary list is any indication, Patricia is now more likely to depart the Patriots for a head coaching job in the coming offseason.

However, McDaniels’ absence from the list contradicts a September report that McDaniels intended to leave the Patriots and pursue head coaching jobs elsewhere. McDaniels’ apparent newfound reluctance to leave could result in another team luring him away with a bigger payday, but perhaps he’s having second thoughts about leaving the Patriots while they still have quarterback Tom Brady, who continues to play at an elite level at age 39.

The only major obstacle for McDaniels to become Patriots head coach is Belichick himself, who has shown no signs of any intent to leave the Patriots or retire from coaching anytime soon. McDaniels appears ready to be patient if he really does want to stay in New England.