Josh McDaniels has backed out of a deal to become the Indianapolis’ Colts new coach Jihad Ward Color Rush Jersey , a decision that shocked the franchise hours after it announced his hiring.

The Colts confirmed McDaniels’ decision in a statement Tuesday night after reports emerged that the Patriots’ offensive coordinator had opted to stay in New England with coach Bill Belichick.

McDaniels had agreed to contract terms with the Colts to replace the fired Chuck Pagano, and a news conference had been scheduled for Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Just a few hours later, the Colts said McDaniels informed them he would not sign the deal.

”Although we are surprised and disappointed, we will resume our head coaching search immediately and find the right fit to lead our team and organization on and off the field,” the Colts said in the statement.

The Patriots and McDaniels’ agent, Bob LaMonte, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

”I’m speechless,” former Colts receiver Reggie Wayne told NFL Network. ”I’ve talked with people in the Colts organization and they feel like they’ve been hoodwinked.”

It’s also not clear how the Colts will proceed from here.

By spurning Indy after it waited 22 days for the playoffs to end, McDaniels leaves the reeling franchise as the only one without a coach – in early February. New England’s defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia Sylvester Williams Color Rush Jersey , left Belichick’s staff a day after the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to become coach of the Detroit Lions.

Indy had interviewed several candidates for the job, including two that were hired by other teams – Matt Nagy went to Chicago and Mike Vrabel to Tennessee. Another potential candidate, Baylor coach Matt Rhule, had already announced he was returning to the college ranks before the Colts had settled on McDaniels, who at age 41 is considered one of the game’s best young minds.

He’s been considered a top-tier head coaching candidate for several years even though his only other coaching stint with Denver ended badly. He went 8-8 with the Broncos in 2009 and 3-9 in 2010 before he was fired with three games left in the season. He worked with the St. Louis Rams in 2011 before returning to New England in 2012, where he has been the offensive coordinator ever since.

And turning down his second chance, after agreeing to a deal with Indy, could make other teams outside of New England more hesitant to hire McDaniels. His decision will also have ramifications for the coaches who were set to join his staff.

It’s unusual but not unprecedented in league history for a deal with a new coach to fall through at the last minute. McDaniels’ move was eerily reminiscent of his mentor, Belichick, who resigned as coach of the Jets with a handwritten note less than a day after he was hired in 2000.

Although McDaniels never signed his contract with Indianapolis Cheap Baker Mayfield Jersey , his stint was even shorter. The team announced his hiring on its Twitter account late Tuesday morning. Hours later, the Colts had deleted the tweet and replaced it with the statement about his withdrawal.

Pagano was fired Dec. 31 after the team finished 4-12 in a season without injured quarterback Andrew Luck.

Within days of Pagano’s ouster, Colts general manager Chris Ballard interviewed McDaniels during the Patriots’ postseason bye week. Two weeks later, reports indicated the deal was all but finished and potential suitors, like the New York Giants, started hiring other coaches.

Now the Colts find themselves in perhaps the toughest position of all – finding a new coach in February.

In Indianapolis, where the fan base already loathed the Patriots, McDaniels’ sudden change of heart didn’t go over well.

The City of Noblesville, a northern suburb of Indy, put this on Twitter: ”Unlike Josh McDaniels http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey , we stay true to our commitments. Noblesville street crews will be out tonight once winter weather hits you can `do your job’ tomorrow.”

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DeMar DeRozan scored 16 points, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka each had 15 and the Toronto Raptors moved closer to clinching the top seed in the Eastern Conference by beating the Boston Celtics 96-78 on Wednesday night.

Toronto increased its lead over second-place Boston to three games. Both teams have four games left.

Kyle Lowry scored 13 points for the Raptors, who earned a split in the season series with the Celtics and clinched the tiebreaker over Boston, based on each team’s record in conference play. Toronto is 37-11 against the East, while Boston is 31-17.

With its 56th win of the season, Toronto matched the franchise record set in 2015-16.

Marcus Morris scored 21 points for Boston in its lowest-scoring game of the season.

The Celtics shot 3 for 22 from 3-point range.

76ERS 115, PISTONS 108

DETROIT (AP) – JJ Redick scored 25 points, and Philadelphia won its 12th straight game, eliminating Detroit from playoff contention.

The Pistons had their five-game winning streak snapped, and their defeat clinched a postseason spot for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Anthony Tolliver scored 25 points for the Pistons and went 7 of 8 from 3-point range. Detroit was without star forward Blake Griffin (bruised right ankle) and the 76ers were missing center Joel Embiid (concussion Anthony Miller Color Rush Jersey , orbital fracture).

LAKERS 122, SPURS 112, OT

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Kyle Kuzma scored six of his 30 points in overtime and Los Angeles swept the three-game season series against San Antonio.

Kuzma is the first rookie in NBA history with 1,200 points, 450 rebounds and 150 3-pointers in a season. He made a 3-pointer and a sky hook to start overtime and give the Lakers a lead they would not relinquish. Los Angeles outscored the Spurs 14-4 in the period.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points for the Spurs, who lost on back-to-back nights at Staples Center and are tied with Oklahoma City for fifth place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind Utah. The Spurs and Thunder both have three games remaining.

HEAT 115, HAWKS 86

ATLANTA (AP) – Kelly Olynyk scored 19 points, including 15 on five 3-pointers when Miami took the lead for good in the second period, and the Heat beat Atlanta Troy Apke Color Rush Jersey , capping a sweep of back-to-back games between Southeast Division rivals.

Miami rested Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic and James Johnson one day after clinching a playoff berth by beating the Hawks in Miami. Josh Richardson also had 19 points, and Justise Winslow had 18 for Miami.

Taurean Prince led Atlanta with 20 points.

PELICANS 123, GRIZZLIES 95

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – E’Twaun Moore scored 30 points, and Anthony Davis had 28 points and 12 rebounds in a return to form to help New Orleans rout Memphis.

Davis struggled in the previous two games after twisting an ankle in a loss to Portland on March 27. He made 8 of 13 field goals, 11 of 13 free throws and had three blocks and two steals.

The eighth-place Pelicans ended a season-worst four-game losing streak and increased their lead over idle Denver to a full game for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

MarShon Brooks scored 25 points for the Grizzlies.

MAGIC 105, MAVERICKS 100

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Rookie Jamel Artis had 18 points for his second straight career high for Orlando.

Artis was coming off a 16-point game Tuesday night in a victory at New York. Aaron Gordon led the Magic with 20 points without playing in the fourth quarter.

Jalen Jones led Dallas with 15 points. The Mavericks listed seven players out with injuries including Dirk Nowitzki, the 19-year veteran who missed only his second game of the season.

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