Most of the major coaching moves around the league have already taken place, but a notable development in New England will see one of their top assistants remain with the team. Joe Judge will occupy an assistant head coach role with the Patriots in 2023, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter links). 
Judge will work in part with the team’s personnel department, Breer notes. That setup will make his new role somewhat similar to that of fellow veteran staffer Matt Patricia in 2021 when the latter transitioned from the sidelines to the front office. Judge will still have on-field responsibilities as well, though, working alongside Cam Achord and Joe Houston to coach the Patriots’ special teams units.
Judge, 41, made a name for himself as a coach in the third phase during his first stint in New England. He worked his way up to the unit’s coordinator in 2015, working in that capacity until taking the Giants’ head coaching job in 2020. That move didn’t go as planned, and he was fired after two straight losing seasons. He returned to the Patriots this past offseason, still representing one of head coach Bill Belichick‘s most trusted lieutenants.
As was the case with Patricia, Judge spent the 2022 campaign in an unfamiliar role. The latter served as the Patriots’ quarterbacks coach, and his struggles in that capacity resulted in tension between himself and Mac Jones. Overall, New England underwhelmed on the offensive side of the ball with Patricia and Judge playing central roles, so it came as little surprise when Bill O’Brien was installed as the team’s new offensive coordinator.
That will allow Judge to have a more comfortable assignment on special teams. The Patriots ranked dead last in terms of DVOA in the third phase in 2022, so there will plenty of room for improvement for the unit heading into next season. Judge will aim to help guide them to a rebound performance, while solidifying his place as a versatile, experienced member of the organization.
The NFL is heading in the same direction as the NBA…..
Soon teams will have as many coaches as players on the roster.
Belichick has to keep his friend employed because no one else wants him.
We’ll see how friendly BB is when the NYG no longer pay his salary next year.
Just 3 coaches for ST seems like some form of restraint in a league that is addicted to bloated staffs. Not sure what you can teach a veteran kicker or punter that they didn’t learn in high school though.
I’m excited to read comments from Pats fans next season still making excuses for Bill and demanding he’s the GOAT of coaching. They’ll hover around 500 again, like the last 3 years.
Bill Belichick if the best coach of this generation. The generation before him it was Bill Walsh. I go back to Paul Brown.
It’s childish to put down great coaches. But in America starting maybe 25-30 years ago, demeaning successful people that do things the writer or commentator will never in their lifetime remotely achieve, is commonplace.
One of those “Pats fans” who drool over Belichick is Mike Lupica, New York tabloid columnist/retro freak/brown-nosing idiot (and that’s being polite).
All it took was Brady leaving to expose Belichick as no better than Jeff Fisher. Y’know, the master of “7-9 Forever”.
But didn’t he lead the Pats to the playoffs in the first year post-Brady (10-7 I believe)? So how could he be 7-9 forever?
Hope Kraft gets back to the patriot way and gets rid of Belichick a year early rather than a year too late
Patpatriot;
Help me out here…..
Before Bill Belichick showed up, what was the “patriot way”?
Parcells changed the culture in foxboro, but for Tom Brady Belichicks a defensive coordinator somewhere today
Here’s hoping the Patriots put the Joe Judge Special in their playbook. It’s a quarterback sneak from their own goal line, which the Giants pulled off to great effect when Judge was their head coach.
They must need someone to listen in on opposing team half-time conversations.
Brady left and it all came to light Belicheat is at best an average coach. It was the talent of Brady who won all those games. I have to wonder how many Super Bowls Brady would of won had he not had an arrogant narcissistic head coach who deprived him of so many weapons. Not at all a Brady fan but the guy was amazing
Judge is a walking dumpster fire.