With Mayo taking over as head coach, the rest of the staff might be undergoing changes as well.
When Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft stood at the podium at Gillette Stadium last Thursday to announce their mutual decision to part ways, it marked the end of an unprecedented era of stability for the New England Patriots. Belichick had led the franchise as head coach for 24 years, and had been the one constant throughout and beyond its dynastic run.
It remains to be seen whether his successor, Jerod Mayo, will come even close to bringing this type of continuity to the Patriots’ head coaching position. It also is to be determined how exactly his promotion will impact the stability of the current coaching staff.
Coming off a 4-13 season and with the 37-year-old now in charge, change appears to be inevitable. Let’s therefore go through the team’s staff to find out where it may or may not be coming.
Offensive coaches
Bill O’Brien (Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks): O’Brien joined the club last offseason and there was plenty of optimism surrounding his hire. One year later — a season that saw the Patriots score the fewest points in football and raised serious questions about their quarterback position — his future is very much in question. He is under contract for 2024, but Mayo opting to go in a different direction such as Josh McDaniels would not come as a surprise either.
Evan Rothstein (Assistant quarterbacks): Rothstein has been praised for his football acumen, but it is hard to say what exactly his impact on the team looked like since his arrival in 2021. Fact is, all of New England’s quarterbacks looked bad last season and he has to be held partially responsible for that. His future might therefore be tied closely to Bill O’Brien’s.
Vinnie Sunseri (Running backs): The development of 2022 draft picks Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris may not have gone as hoped, but Sunseri did get a lot out of New England’s running back group since taking over for Ivan Fears. Despite his defensive background, he looks like a capable offensive coach whose players gravitate toward.
Troy Brown (Wide receivers/Kick returners): Brown may be a Patriots legend, but his coaching record since working with the wideouts in 2021 is largely underwhelming. Not all of the issues at wide receiver fall squarely on his shoulders, but the NFL is still a production business at the end of the day. That production has not been what it needed to be in, possibly in part due to Brown.
Will Lawing (Tight ends): Lawing arrived alongside Bill O’Brien last offseason, and it seems the two long-time collaborators are a package deal of sorts. The tight end group had its moments in 2023, largely due to Hunter Henry bouncing back from a subpar 2022 season. Offseason acquisition Mike Gesicki, however, did not have the desired impact.
Adrian Klemm (Offensive line): Klemm’s future remains TBD after he missed the last two months of the season due to a medical issue. He did return to the facility as a visitor at one point, but did not return to the sidelines. Klemm is under contract, but the discussion about his future is much more nuanced than it will be with other members of the staff Jerod Mayo is inheriting.
Billy Yates (Assistant offensive line): Yates took over coaching the offensive line after Klemm’s departure (together with Bill Belichick and veteran O-lineman James Ferentz), and he had to work through some of the same personnel issues his predecessor faced over the first half of the season. He is well-respected but one has to wonder whether he would really be the first choice to replace Klemm in case he does not return.
Defensive coaches
DeMarcus Covington (Defensive line): Covington is a name to watch in coaching circles, and a possible candidate for coordinator or even head coaching consideration in the future. For now, and unless Belichick takes him to wherever he will coach next, he should be expected to remain in New England.
Steve Belichick (Linebackers): Unlike Covington, Belichick staying with the Patriots seems unlikely after his father left. His departure would be a blow to one of the league’s better defenses: Belichick is the longest-tenured assistant coach on staff, and served as a quasi-co-defensive coordinator alongside Mayo the last few years. Him staying would be a pleasant surprise.
Mike Pellegrino (Cornerbacks): Pellegrino is in the same boat as Covington: he is a young coach on the rise, who has done a good job with his position group the last few seasons. He should stay put as well, unless Belichick comes in to hire him away.
Brian Belichick (Safeties): The second Belichick son also is a candidate to depart alongside his dad. While not having played as prominent a role on the defensive staff as his brother, he did do a good job with the safeties group — possibly the deepest and most productive position on New England’s roster the last two seasons.
Keith Jones (Coaching fellowship): Jones worked on a fellowship this season, but the team used him to work with the defensive line during last year’s East-West Shrine Bowl. In case DeMarcus Covington leaves, he could be a candidate to replace him.
Special teams coaches
Cameron Achord (Special teams coordinator): The Patriots’ special teams unit was a mixed bag yet again in 2023, which might prompt Jerod Mayo to make a change. Nothing appears set in stone right now, but the uneven play in the game’s third phase in recent years is something that needs to improve for the team as a whole to do the same.
Joe Houston (Special teams assistant): Houston seems to go where Cam Achord goes. If the coordinator is retained, his assistant also might stay put — unless Mayo will try to hire somebody like retirement candidate Matthew Slater to work as a special teams coach.
Joe Judge (Assistant head coach): While officially listed as assistant head coach and handling some responsibilities beyond the kicking game, Judge spent a significant portion of the 2023 season working on special teams. He will still be paid by the New York Giants through 2024, which could prompt the Patriots to retain him.
As can be seen, there is potential for change in all three phases of the game. Ultimately, it looks like Jerod Mayo will not overhaul the entire staff after his promotion but he might have to make some tough decisions both in hopes of improving an underwhelming offense and because he might have to replace the Belichick brothers and their contributions.
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