ORLANDO, Fla. — New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels publicly addressed his decision to back out of the Indianapolis Colts head-coaching job for the first time on Monday, telling The Boston Globe that everything changed two days after the Super Bowl when owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick clarified his situation with the team.

That included an adjustment to his contract, which had one year remaining, according to The Globe.

“I wasn’t 100 percent sure what the future was,” McDaniels told the newspaper. “So, where did I fit in? Were there any plans? I just didn’t have much clarity on what my role was here moving forward. … Once I heard from Robert and Bill on that Tuesday, it just gave me reason to pause and consider this whole situation. …

“When they kind of crystallized that — ‘Hey, here’s what we see going forward and here’s how we would like you to fit into it’ — it gave me a reason to stop and say, ‘All right, what’s the best decision for me?’ And certainly it was difficult. But I made the decision on my own, nobody pushed me into it.”

At the same time, McDaniels was given no assurances for the future, according to The Globe. McDaniels told the newspaper it “was as difficult a decision as I’ve ever made professionally.” He also said he spoke with the three assistant coaches who had been hired to be part of his Colts staff, all of whom are staying in Indianapolis.

“It was never my intention to go into this and put anybody in an awkward position or do any harm to anybody or do anything to hurt anybody’s career,” he told The Globe. “I just felt like once I knew the whole picture and I had the opportunity to make a decision, it was tough but I feel like I made the right one.”

McDaniels praised Colts general manager Chris Ballard, calling him an “incredible human being” and added, “Indianapolis did a tremendous job. They have a tremendous organization and I was lucky to be considered. I just think once I found out [the Patriots’ plans for me], I made the right decision for me and my family at this time.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Sunday it wasn’t until after Super Bowl LII that the club had detailed discussions with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels about his future with the team, which ultimately gave McDaniels new information to consider after he accepted the Indianapolis Colts’ head-coaching job.

Belichick’s remarks shed light on one of the shocking decisions of the NFL offseason: McDaniels’ spurning the Colts.

“Once that game ended, I think that really gave Josh and I a chance to sit down and talk more directly about the situation, as opposed to, ‘We really want to talk about the game and what we need to do to try to compete in that game.’ That’s basically what happened,” Belichick said Sunday at the NFL’s annual meeting. “Before the game, I’d say we had minimal discussions. I’d say we had much deeper and longer and more in-depth and more constructive discussions immediately after the game.”

McDaniels interviewed with the Colts during the playoff bye week and had a second interview later in the playoffs.

His decision to back out of an agreement with the Colts shocked many around the NFL, with Indianapolis ultimately moving on to hire Frank Reich.

In a meeting with a small group of local reporters, Belichick said of McDaniels’ return, “We got back from Minnesota, I had an opportunity to talk to Josh, and we were able to work some things out. I’m thrilled he’s still with us and is going to continue in his role. I think he’s a top offensive coordinator in the league. He’s done a great job for me for a long time in a lot of different roles. I’m very glad, based on the meeting we had — there were a number of things that happened — that we were able to work that out and keep him with us.”

Belichick said McDaniels continues to carry out the responsibilities he has had in the past and is working “extremely hard.”