New England’s long-time assistant coach is headed for the University of Washington.
The New England Patriots will have to say goodbye to another member of their coaching staff. Steve Belichick, who has most recently served as linebackers coach and was the team’s de facto co-defensive coordinator alongside new head coach Jerod Mayo, is reportedly expected to take a position with the University of Washington.
The 36-year-old indeed taking his talents elsewhere would create quite a sizable hole on the Patriots coaching staff. So with that said, here is a big-picture look at what Belichick’s departure would mean for the team.
The Patriots lose their most experienced defensive coach…
Steve Belichick originally arrived in New England in 2012, joining his father’s staff as a defensive assistant. After three years in that role, he was promoted to a position coach — first working with the safeties, and later with the linebackers. The last few season, he was jointly leading the defense with Jerod Mayo as de facto co-coordinators.
Belichick being trusted with this role made sense, given that his experience coaching within his dad’s system was unparalleled on staff. He became the longest-tenured assistant on that side of the ball in 2019, after both Brian Flores and Josh Boyer departed.
…and Jerod Mayo his long-time ally
Toward the tail end of his playing career, Mayo was increasingly forced to miss time as injuries started to mount. Along the way, however, he and Steve Belichick entered a productive partnership: Belichick would introduce Mayo to the art of coaching, while Mayo would help Belichick better understand the game from a player perspective.
The friendship they built during those study sessions was the foundation for their collaboration years later, when they jointly led the Patriots defense: Mayo and Belichick complemented each other well, allowing New England to field one of the best units in football since 2019.
Now, however, Mayo will have to work without his long-time ally for the first time in his coaching career. The pressure is on the young head coach to show that he is up to the challenge.
New England needs a new linebackers coach…
Despite his role as play caller and quasi-coordinator, Belichick also was still officially a position coach for the Patriots the last few years. As a consequence, they are now forced to find a new linebackers coach: with him off to Washington and co-LB coach Jerod Mayo promoted to head coach, the spot is entirely vacant now.
Luckily for the Patriots, there are alternatives available both internally, but more realistically externally. The primary internal candidates, after all, are safeties coach Brian Belichick — who worked with the linebackers at last year’s East-West Shrine Bowl — as well as cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino.
It seems more likely, however, that Jerod Mayo will look outside the current organizational structure to find a new ‘backers coach. Two names in particular are worth keeping an eye on: Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu and New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges both unsuccessfully interviewed for the Patriots’ defensive coordinator position, but might be candidates to be brought aboard a different capacity.
…and a new defensive signal caller
This one is more straight forward. The expectation is that DeMarcus Covington will take over play calling duties from Steve Belichick in his new role as defensive coordinator.
While Covington has limited experience in this regard, he is the prime candidate to fill that role with Belichick no longer on staff. He has considerable experience in the system as well, after all, having arrived in New England in 2017. In addition, he saw exposure to play-calling back in college, during Patriots training camp at times, and at last year’s Senior Bowl.
Only one Belichick remains — for now
Two members of the Belichick family have now left the Patriots: Bill agreed to a mutual parting of the way in January, with his son Steve now out the door as well. That just leaves Bill’s youngest son, Brian, as the clan’s lone representative in New England.
And while he too has an impressive coaching résumé already despite his relative youth, and has received an offer to stay on as part of Jerod Mayo’s staff, it would not be a surprise to see the team’s current safeties coach depart as well. With both Bill and Steve no longer with the organization, Brian’s ties to the club have seemingly become a lot looser than they were just one month ago.
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