FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Josh McDaniels is returning to the New England Patriots to take over as offensive coordinator next season for Bill O’Brien, who was introduced Saturday as Penn State’s new coach.

A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that McDaniels is expected to serve as an offensive assistant under O’Brien for the rest of this season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t made an announcement.

The move was first reported by ESPN.com.

O’Brien said at his news conference Saturday he intends to remain the Patriots’ offensive coordinator as long as they stay in the playoffs.

McDaniels would go from near the bottom of the NFL after spending the season as offensive coordinator of the St. Louis Rams, who were 2-14, to a shot at the Super Bowl with the Patriots with an AFC-best 13-3 record.

He was offensive coordinator with the Patriots from 2006 to 2008 before becoming head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009. He was fired with a 3-9 record in 2010 after losing 17 of his last 22 games. The Patriots, who had a bye this weekend, go into the playoffs with an eight-game winning streak.

McDaniels, 35, was the only Rams assistant under contract through next season when Steve Spagnuolo was fired on Jan. 2.

“I’m sure Josh will have opportunities around the NFL to possibly be a coordinator or better throughout this process,” Kevin Demoff, the Rams’ vice president and chief operating officer, said at the time. “It’s going to be fluid, but we’ll figure out what’s best for both parties.”

The Rams scored the fewest points per game in the league (12.1) and gained the second- fewest yards (283.6). Sam Bradford struggled at quarterback with just six touchdown passes and six interceptions in McDaniels’ system, which had many more longer developing pass plays than the Rams had in 2010 under Pat Shurmur.

The lack of production contrasts sharply with the Patriots’ offense under McDaniels, especially in 2007 when they went 16-0 then won two playoff games before losing the Super Bowl to the New York Giants, 17-14.

In that season, Tom Brady set a single-season league record with 50 touchdown passes for an offense that averaged a league-best 411.2 yards. The Patriots also were first in yards passing (295.7) and points per game (36.8).

Now McDaniels is poised to be reunited with Brady and another prolific offense in time for the Patriots’ practices for their divisional playoff game Saturday. As the top-seeded team in the AFC, they earned home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs.

HALL OF FAME: Bill Parcells is among a list of 15 modern-era finalists for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Wide receivers Tim Brown, Cris Carter and Andre Reed, running backs Jerome Bettis and Curtis Martin, and former Kansas City Chiefs guard Will Shields also made the cut when the 26 semifinalists were pared down through a mail ballot. The final list of candidates also includes two senior nominees: former Steelers defensive back Jack Butler and former Lions guard Dick Stanfel.

The Hall’s selection committee meets in Indianapolis next month. A finalist must receive 80 percent of the vote to be selected.

Between four and seven enshrinees will be announced the day before the Super Bowl on Feb. 5, and inducted in August in the Hall’s 50th class.

Parcells and Shields were the only two candidates to make the list of finalists in their first year of eligibility. The notable exclusions from the semifinal list include former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, ex-Chargers coach Don Coryell, and running backs Roger Craig and Terrell Davis.

Parcells is considered a first-year candidate under new requirements that were put in place in 2008, after he had been a nominee in 2001 and 2002. The new rule makes it mandatory for coaches to be retired for five consecutive seasons. Before that, coaches were eligible immediately upon retirement.

DOLPHINS: Green Bay offensive coordinator Joe Philbin completed an interview for Miami’s head coaching job.

Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher remains the Dolphins’ top choice, but they may lose out to the St. Louis Rams. Both teams interviewed Fisher this week.

Philbin has been with the Packers since 2003 and has been offensive coordinator since 2007, although Coach Mike McCarthy calls the plays.

The Dolphins have also interviewed Todd Bowles, who became interim coach when Tony Sparano was fired with three games left in the season, and Chicago Bears special teams coordinator Dave Toub.