Matt Patricia

Patriots Notes: Coaching, Meyers, Lawing

February 2nd, 2023 at 9:23pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots offense was in disarray in 2022, and Andrew Callahan and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald provided us with a peek behind the dysfunctional curtain. According to the report, the Patriots’ season was filled with tension on the offensive side of the ball, particularly between Mac Jones and coach Joe Judge.

The issues started in the spring, when Jones irked Patriots brass by indicating that he would be teaching the offense to his new quarterbacks coach. While the players and coaches would ultimately work together “in good faith,” the team was unable to overcome the shortcomings of Judge and de facto offensive coordinator Matt Patricia. The duo tried a simplified approach to Sean McVay’s offense in Los Angeles, but this resulted in an incomplete and underwhelming catalogue of plays.

“A lot of guys were getting worried because when we were in the middle of camp, we were wondering what the plan was for our offense. Because we hadn’t put enough install in,” a source told the Boston Herald. “We had a couple protections, a couple core run plays, but our pass game didn’t have much in it.”

While Patricia seemed to garner most of the criticism, the Boston Herald points a finger at Judge. Bill Belichick would later phase Judge out of the offense, but not before frustrations boiled over. Per the report, both Jones and Belichick got into shouting matches with the former special teams coordinator, and there were even occasions where positional coaches would have to correct Judge’s mistakes.

Ultimately, the relationships that underpinned “the offense became so strained, they engendered internal doubt” about Belichick’s decision making. The head coach was quick to make changes following the season; shortly after announcing that they’d be conducting an offensive coordinator search, the Patriots hired Bill O’Brien to fill the role. Still, both Judge and Patricia are expected to be back in 2023.

More notes out of New England…

Speaking of, Belichick had a much larger role on offense than he let on, according to Albert Breer of SI.com. The head coach was “active on the headsets” during games, providing the same “oversight over the offense that he’d traditionally had over the defense.” Belichick even had a stint “moonlighting” as the offensive play-caller, which resulted in the offense occasionally looking “messy from an operational standpoint.”
For what it’s worth, Patricia’s contract has expired, according to Breer. This provides the coach with an open opportunity to pursue a different role elsewhere, something he may consider since he’s already facing a reduced role in New England. Tight ends coach Nick Caley also has an expiring contract, but Breer says the coach still has a chance to return to New England. Caley has received several OC interviews, including an interview for the Patriots job.
Top receiver Jakobi Meyers played through a small tear in his knee this past year, per Callahan and Guregian. Despite the inconsistent Patriots offense, Meyers continued to produce in 2022, topping 800 receiving yards for the second-straight season while also establishing a new career-high in touchdown receptions (six). The former undrafted free agent is set to hit free agency this offseason and should be in line for a significant pay day as one of the top available players at his position.
O’Brien is already starting to add to his new offensive staff. According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss (on Twitter), the Patriots are adding Will Lawing to their offensive staff. The 37-year-old coach has worked alongside O’Brien at multiple stops, including Penn State, Alabama, and the Texans. Lawing held multiple roles during his time in the NFL, including tight ends coach. He spent the past two seasons as an offensive analyst at Alabama.

Coaching Notes: Colts, Rams, Patriots

January 24th, 2023 at 8:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Colts are moving on to second interviews with some head coaching candidates, but they’re still hoping to get one individual in the building for a first interview. According to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, the Colts still want to speak with 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.

The Colts have been trying to nail down an interview with Ryans for a few weeks. The organization was expected to finally speak with him on Sunday, but with the 49ers advancing to the NFC Championship Game, the coach once again put his interview on hold.

The coordinator already spoke with the Texans and Broncos about their HC jobs, and he also postponed an interview with the Cardinals. As Maaddi details, NFL rules allow Ryans to have second interviews with the Texans and Broncos next week, regardless of the outcome of this weekend’s game. However, the NFL’s “window for first interviews” has close, so he’ll have to wait until the end of the 49ers’ season to speak with the Colts and Cardinals.

We heard earlier today that Ejiro Evero will be getting a second interview with the Colts, and per Maaddi, the organization is expected to advance “six or seven other candidates” to the second round. Another name that should get a second meeting with the organization is interim head coach Jeff Saturday, according to Maaddi.

More coaching notes from around the NFL…

Sean McVay continues to shake up his coaching staff, and that’s led him to an assistant coach in Chicago. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), the Rams have requested permission to interview Bears assistant offensive line coach Austin King. The former NFL player would presumably be eyeing a promotion in Los Angeles, and he could fill multiple roles considering his experience coaching tight ends with the Raiders.
Former Patriots lineman Adrian Klemm previously interviewed for New England’s offensive coordinator job, a position that ultimately went to Bill O’Brien. However, it sounds like the Patriots are still considering recruiting Klemm to their staff. According to TheMMQB’s Albert Breer (on Twitter), another meeting is anticipated between the coach and the Patriots. Klemm spent the 2022 season as Oregon’s associate head coach, run game coordinator, and offensive line coach. He previously spent time on the Steelers staff, serving as assistant OL coach before earning a promotion to OL coach in 2021.
With O’Brien back in New England, focus turns to the status of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge after the duo led the Patriots‘ offense in 2022. ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes that Patricia should be able to carve out a role on New England’s staff in 2023 considering his familiarity with the organization and his relationship with Bill Belichick. However, since the Lions are no longer picking up the tab, it remains to be seen if the Patriots will be willing to compensate the coach accordingly. Meanwhile, Reiss could see see Judge sticking around New England, but the writer is skeptical about the coach returning to his natural ST role. Judge officially spent last season as the Patriots quarterbacks coach, a designation that “surprised people both inside and outside the organization,” according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.
There’s still no clarity on what Jerod Mayo‘s new role will be in New England, but he could be facing a significant promotion. Some pundits have suggested that Belichick could be preparing the former linebacker to eventually take over as head coach, and Breer tweets that Mayo was alongside his boss for all of the organization’s offensive coordinator interviews last week.

Bill O’Brien “Primary Target” For Patriots OC Job

January 16th, 2023 at 7:38pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots are looking to revamp their offensive coaching staff, and it sounds like a familiar face is a favorite for the gig. Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston writes that Bill O’Brien is the “primary target” for New England’s offensive coordinator job.

Curran notes that there are “other candidates with merit,” but there’s “unanimity on all sides” that O’Brien is the best person for the position. The main thing going for O’Brien is his relationship with the Patriots organization, especially when you consider Bill Belichick‘s penchant for bringing back former assistants. O’Brien spent five years with the Patriots, culminating in him becoming the team’s offensive coordinator. Following head coaching stints with Penn State and the Texans, O’Brien spent the past two years as the offensive coordinator at Alabama under Nick Saban, a close confidant of Belichick.

Speaking of Alabama, O’Brien also has an advantage over the field thanks to his relationship with Mac Jones. While the QB prepared for the 2021 NFL Draft, he also helped O’Brien learn the Alabama offense following the coach’s hiring. O’Brien could look to add elements of Alabama’s quick-strike offense to the Patriots offense. While the familiar scheme would obviously benefit Jones, the offensive philosophy would also take better advantage of Jones’ game-management skills (vs. his average QB skills).

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Mike Reiss looks at a handful of additional potenital candidates for the offensive coordinator position. After O’Brien, Reiss lists former Jets head coach Adam Gase as a candidate considering his mutual respect with Belichick and his experience with Saban. Reiss also lists Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell, former Jets/Cardinals associate head coach/receivers coach Shawn Jefferson, Cowboys QBs coach Doug Nussmeier, and current Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley as potential targets for the job.

In a surprising press release last week, the Patriots revealed that they would begin interviewing offensive coordinator candidates. This follows a 2022 campaign where Belichick opted to go without an OC to replace Josh McDaniels and chose former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to lead the way. The results were ugly, as the inconsistent Patriots offense struggled for much of the year.

Patriots Negotiating New Contract With Jerod Mayo, Will Start OC Interviews Next Week

January 12th, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots are officially looking to shake up their offensive coaching staff, but they’re also hoping to retain a key defensive coach. The organization announced in a press release that they’ve begun contract negotiations with coach Jerod Mayo “that would keep him with the team long-term” (via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe on Twitter). The team also announced that they will begin interviewing offensive coordinator candidates next week.

While Mayo has served as New England’s de facto defensive coordinator (alongside Steve Belichick), his title has officially been “inside linebackers coach.” As a result, Mayo wasn’t only allowed to interview for head coaching gigs, but also defensive coordinator opportunities, and it seemed all but certain that his stint in New England was likely going to come to an end as he pursued a more significant title. The Browns previously requested a DC interview with Mayo, and we learned earlier today that the Panthers planned to interview him for their head coaching vacancy. As Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweets, the Patriots don’t want to lose him for “anything short of a head coaching job.”

The former Patriots linebacker has had a quick accession through New England’s coaching ranks, culminating in his current role. It sounds like the Patriots are committed to keeping the Mayo/Belichick duo for as long as possible, and it will be interesting to see what title Mayo emerges with (assuming he sticks in New England).

With Josh McDaniels leaving for Las Vegas, the Patriots used a similar philosophy with their offensive coaching staff, relying on two individuals instead of one definitive offensive coordinator. The issue was that head coach Bill Belichick turned to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to run the offense. The results were disastrous, with QB Mac Jones taking a clear step back during his second year in the league. Naturally, this has led to plenty of speculation that the Patriots could look to shake up the staff, and the organization has now made it clear that they’ll be interviewing for a new OC.

Some names have already been floated as possibilities. Bill O’Brien, who worked his way up to offensive coordinator in five years with the Patriots, could be a candidate. The coach has spent the past two years as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, and there were theories that O’Brien didn’t return to New England last offseason because Belichick didn’t want to compromise his relationship with Nick Saban. With O’Brien’s contract having expired, he’s now free to sign anywhere. Kliff Kingsbury is another candidate following his firing in Arizona. The former NFL QB was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. As Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com tweets, the Patriots will have to follow the Rooney Rule if they intend to give someone the title of offensive coordinator.

Either way, this is some “unprecedented” transparency by the Patriots organization (as Volin notes on Twitter), with Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports tweeting that the organization is clearly “being very intentional about getting the word out.” This follows rampant speculation that Robert Kraft has requested coaching changes, and the owner reportedly met with his head coach earlier this week. Indeed, Howe tweets that Kraft and Belichick “have been aligned in their vision for a new offensive plan” next season.

Patriots Expected To Shake Up Offensive Staff; Latest On Bill O’Brien, Kliff Kingsbury

January 11th, 2023 at 3:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft met this week to discuss the franchise’s outlook, and although rumors of the owner and legendary coach not being on the same page regarding staffing circulated during the season’s final weeks, NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran reports the two are believed to be in step when it comes to the coaching situation.

Patriots staffers have not been informed of any changes yet, Albert Breer of SI.com notes, but Curran adds that Kraft did not need to issue any ultimatums to Belichick to shake up his staff after a strange plan helped produce a disappointing season. Following a season that featured Matt Patricia as the Pats’ primary offensive play-caller, changes will be coming to New England’s offensive staff. Several coaches are under consideration to join the offensive staff, per Curran.

Bill O’Brien has been linked to a New England return, but Curran tweets the Pats and the current Alabama OC have not been in contact yet. That said, Breer adds O’Brien likely “would love” to return to his home state to aid the Patriots. O’Brien was on Belichick’s staff from 2007-11, finishing that stay as the team’s offensive coordinator during Josh McDaniels‘ three years away. Although O’Brien was not on board as the Crimson Tide’s OC until the 2021 season, Breer mentions Mac Jones helped bring the incoming play-caller up to speed on the program’s offense. Robert and Jonathan Kraft are O’Brien fans as well, per Breer.

Belichick has also done some homework on Kliff Kingsbury, whom he drafted in the 2003 sixth round. The recently fired Cardinals HC spent just more than a year in New England, before being waived, but Breer adds Belichick placed the former Texas Tech QB in a de facto quality control role during a rookie year on IR. That said, Kingsbury may be readier to take a break compared to diving back into a high-pressure situation, Breer and ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss (Twitter link) offer. Tight ends coach Nick Caley came up previously as a potential McDaniels heir apparent, and he earned increased responsibility — in Year 6 coaching the Pats’ tight ends — following McDaniels’ departure.

It does not appear Patricia and Joe Judge will need to be too worried about losing their places on Belichick’s staff. The Patriots are expected to find roles for both of their de facto offensive coordinators, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds. Belichick thrusting both ex-head coaches into new roles impacted the Pats’ fortunes this season. The Pats plummeted from sixth to 17th in scoring offense, from 15th to 26th in total yards and from ninth to 24th in DVOA. It should be expected whoever calls Patriots plays in 2023 will have at least done it before.

Patriots HC Bill Belichick To Return In 2023

January 9th, 2023 at 9:33am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2022 season came to an end for the Patriots yesterday, as their loss to the Bills gave the team an 8-9 record and kept them out of the postseason. That represents a disappointing finish to the campaign, and has invited speculation about changes being made on the sidelines.

One constant which will remain heading into 2023 will be head coach Bill Belichick. The 70-year-old announced on Monday that he will stay on as the Patriots’ bench boss for what will be his 24th season at the helm. He made it clear, however, that a thorough review of the organization will commence, adding that “we’ll look at everything.”

While Belichick’s announcement comes as little surprise, it also included little in the way of details concerning the future of the team’s offensive coaching staff. To replace longtime offensive coordinator (and current Raiders head coach) Josh McDaniels, the Patriots elected to split his responsibilities between ex-Pats staffers Matt Patricia and Joe Judge. The marked lack of experience on the offensive side of the ball for both of them led to plenty of scrutiny leading into, and during, the season.

New England finished the year in the bottom half of the league on several offensive fronts, averaging 331 yards and 21.4 points per game. Second-year quarterback Mac Jones took a step back in a number of categories, leading to something of a QB controversy when he was briefly replaced by rookie Bailey Zappe due to injury earlier in the season. Most importantly, the unit’s struggles have led to increasing calls for a new, more experienced OC to be brought in.

When asked the future of Patricia and Judge in the organization (or at least in their current capacities), Belichick added, via Michael Hurley of CBS Boston, “We’ll evaluate everything that we’ve done – from me on down to everybody else – and evaluate things and make improvements where we feel like we can. Again, there were a lot of positive things over the course of the year in all areas that we can build on, but in the end, it wasn’t what we want it to be or need it to be.”

Alabama OC – and fellow Patriots alum – Bill O’Brien has been connected to a potential vacancy for the same role in New England. Interest between he and the Patriots, depending on which direction the team goes with respect to Patricia and Judge, will be worth monitoring in the offseason. In any case, the status quo will be in place for at least one more year with respect to the team’s leader on the sidelines.

Patriots Notes: Belichick, Patricia, Mayo

January 8th, 2023 at 1:10pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots’ offense has had a difficult time of it in the 2022 season. While the unit ranks in the middle of the pack in terms of points per game, it has posted the seventh-fewest yards per game. More importantly, second-year quarterback Mac Jones has regressed after a promising rookie season, and Jones’ struggles, combined with the offense’s problems as a whole, have led to increased scrutiny of head coach Bill Belichick‘s offseason staffing decisions.

Of course, after longtime OC Josh McDaniels accepted the Raiders’ head coaching job, Belichick installed Matt Patricia and Joe Judge as the Pats’ top offensive coaches. Patricia has served as the offensive play-caller despite not having worked as an offensive coach since 2005, and Judge has operated as the club’s offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach, despite having no coaching experience whatsoever on that side of the ball.

The general ineffectiveness of Belichick’s former staffers, both of whom had flamed out as head coaches elsewhere, means that the end-of-year meeting between Belichick and owner Robert Kraft will be of particular importance, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic (subscription required). If Kraft — like many league evaluators that spoke to Howe — believes that a shakeup is in order, one wonders how Belichick will respond. Perhaps he will agree and will bring an experienced OC aboard in an effort to maximize Jones’ talents and inject more organization and variety into the offense (the team is already rumored to be interested in a reunion with Bill O’Brien).

But if Belichick does not agree and elects to give Patricia and/or Judge another opportunity in their current roles, then Kraft could have a difficult decision to make about Belichick himself in the near future. While it seems unfathomable that Belichick would not be given the opportunity to walk away on his terms, keeping his 2022 offensive staff intact in 2023 may put the spotlight more squarely on him, particularly if some of this year’s unforced errors — blown assignments, substitution mishaps, late play calls, etc. — should persist.

Now for more Patriots notes:

Albert Breer of SI.com agrees that identifying the team’s 2023 offensive play-caller will be at the top of Kraft’s offseason agenda, and he pegs Patricia’s chances of remaining in his current role at less than 50% (though he does believe that Patricia will remain on the Pats’ coaching staff in some capacity). Breer confirms that O’Brien will be in the mix, though the current Alabama OC could have other NFL opportunities outside of Foxborough.
Add Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald to the list of pundits who believe Belichick must make a change at offensive coordinator, lest he put his own job security in jeopardy. “Kraft has to make it clear that Belichick needs to come up with real solutions, as opposed to getting his friends on the cheap with their former teams still paying them,” Guregian writes (via Peter King of NBC Sports). “If Belichick isn’t willing to budge, then Kraft has to decide whether it’s worth it to keep the status quo, or move on from his sure-fire Hall of Fame head coach and clean house.”
While neither Patricia nor Judge will be interviewing for head coaching positions anytime soon, linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is a different story. Mayo, 36, interviewed for the Broncos’ and Raiders’ HC positions last year, and Mike Reiss of ESPN.com expects the two-time Pro Bowler to be busy again in the upcoming coaching cycle. Mayo, for his part, is prepared for the challenge, saying, “I think I’m ready to be a head coach in the league.”
New England suspended P Jake Bailey and CB Jack Jones on Friday. According to Reiss, the team believed that Bailey — who had been on IR since November 19 — was ready to return to game action, but Bailey apparently believed otherwise. Jones’ suspension, meanwhile, stems in part from his missed rehabilitation appointments, which also led to his being fined by the team. Jones played in only eight snaps in the Pats’ Week 14 victory over the Cardinals due to a knee injury, and he missed the next two contests before being placed on IR on December 31. The agents for both players have noted their objections to the suspensions, with Bailey’s agent indicating that he has filed a grievance. Reiss says that it is difficult to see Bailey playing for the team again, and since his suspension technically voids the guarantees in his contract, he and the Pats could find themselves embroiled in a financial battle in the coming weeks.
The Patriots signed cornerback Tae Hayes to their active roster at the end of December, and Reiss tweets that Hayes’ contract is actually a two-year pact. Hayes, who appeared in 24 defensive snaps in his New England debut on January 1, is now one of six CBs under contract for 2023.

Bill O’Brien Emerging As “Strong Option” To Be Patriots OC

December 24th, 2022 at 7:01pm CST by Ben Levine

The Patriots offense has struggled mightily in 2022, and the organization may turn to a familiar face to right the ship. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Bill O’Brien is emerging as “a strong option” to be New England’s offensive coordinator next season.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard O’Brien’s name connected to the gig. He was mentioned as a potential option when Josh McDaniels left New England for Las Vegas, but Bill Belichick ultimately didn’t want to steal O’Brien from good friend Nick Saban. O’Brien has served as Alabama’s offensive coordinator for the past two seasons. Rapoport notes that the coach gave Saban a two-year commitment when he joined the program, and no extension has materialized. This has left an NFL return as a “real thought” for O’Brien.

Naturally, the Patriots would be a fit. O’Brien was on New England’s staff for five seasons, culminating in him earning the role of OC. The coach eventually left for Penn State before returning to the NFL as the Texans’ head coach. Houston went 52-48 in O’Brien’s six-plus seasons, including four playoff nods.

Further, the Patriots offense has taken a major step back during Mac Jones‘ second season in the NFL, although the organization hasn’t necessarily put the former first-round pick in a position to succeed. The Patriots have turned to former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and former special teams coordinator Joe Judge to help guide their offense, and as a result, New England ranks in the bottom half of the NFL in most offensive categories.

“I think it goes back to just trusting the process of everything and doing whatever you can do to become a great football player,” Jones said recently (via Rapoport). “Eventually that will show up on film. So a lot of things as an offense, it’s 11 guys and you have to try to push everybody as a quarterback to do the right thing and make sure we’re all on the same page. We’ve done that at times. But just getting that consistency. Obviously with myself, too.”

Patriots Not Making Late-Season Offensive Changes

December 5th, 2022 at 12:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout the offseason, the structure of the Patriots’ offensive coaching staff remained the source of plenty of speculation and scrutiny. To date, the unit’s underwhelming performance has invited more questions regarding significant personnel or schematic changes, but none will be forthcoming in the immediate future.

While making his weekly appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, head coach Bill Belichick confirmed that the Patriots will essentially maintain the status quo with respect to their offense. That means Matt Patricia will remain the unit’s play-caller, a role he was given this year despite having hardly any experience working as an offensive staffer. Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge is also a central figure in the offense.

“I think we need to do what we’re doing better,” Belichick said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I don’t think at this point making a lot of dramatic changes; it’s too hard to do that… We just have to play and coach more consistently.”

New England has remained in playoff contention largely due to the strength of their defense. The offense has put up below-average numbers in several categories, and has struggled considerably in the red zone in particular. Quarterback Mac Jones has regressed in his second NFL season, as he and the rest of the team transition to the post-Josh McDaniels era.

Jones was visibly upset during the Patriots’ loss to the Bills last Thursday, a game in which the team relied heavily on the short passing game. Despite the result of that contest, though, New England sits at 6-6 and remains a legitimate contender for an AFC Wild Card spot. Any improvement in production or consistency on the offensive side of the ball would help their playoff push significantly, but in the event that doesn’t happen, alterations will need to wait until the offseason to take shape.

Matt Patricia Calling Patriots’ Offensive Plays

September 11th, 2022 at 1:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

The matter of New England’s offensive play caller has been a storyline throughout the offseason, as the team faced the necessary task of replacing Josh McDaniels. Today’s season opener represented a final window into the team’s regular season plans to handle the role.

As noted by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Matt Patricia is the coach tasked with handling offensive coordinator duties (video link). The longtime Patriots’ defensive coordinator began his time with the team as an offensive assistant in 2004, working with the offensive line the following year. That position group was listed in his new job title this season, along with that of senior football advisor.

The ex-Lions head coach was considered the early favorite to call plays, but he shared those responsibilities with quarterbacks coach Joe Judge during New England’s first preseason contest. Patricia exclusively guided the offense beyond that, however, making today’s new little surprise.

As Rapoport notes, however, head coach Bill Belichick is expected to have a “heavy hand” in the offense as well. That would be in line with the belief expressed by many around the league last month that Belichick will eventually take on the OC role himself. New England enters the season with significant question marks at both tackle spots, and few known commodities in its pass-catching corps as quarterback Mac Jones looks to make a Year 2 jump.

As of this writing, the Patriots trail the Dolphins 17-0 and have totaled 210 yards of offense, so Patricia’s performance will remain under significant scrutiny.

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