The wide receivers coach is no lock to return for the 2024 season.
With Jerod Mayo taking over for long-time head coach Bill Belichick earlier this month, the New England Patriots find themselves in a rather unfamiliar state of transition. The coaching staff is obviously no exception, with two of its members already having left — Bill O’Brien and Joe Houston — and others possibly on their way out as well.
Among those in a state of limbo is wide receivers and kick returners coach Troy Brown. The 52-year-old has been a member of the Patriots’ staff the last four years, but his future is uncertain with the organization currently looking for a new offensive coordinator.
Brown himself seems well-aware of his uncertain future, too.
Working as one of the offensive coordinators at the Senior Bowl this week — a role he was chosen to fill before the Patriots’ coaching turnover began — he was spotted not representing the team but rather wearing standard gear from the college all-star showcase. Patriots writer Zack Cox was first to notice the look:
Interesting to see Troy Brown wearing Senior Bowl gear, not Patriots apparel, while he serves as offensive coordinator of the American Team.
Most Senior Bowl coaches wear their own team logos during practices. Brown’s job status is TBD with the Patriots’ OC search still ongoing pic.twitter.com/YkEnpF65By
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) January 30, 2024
Brown’s interview with Tom Pelissero of NFL Network did not address his future, or any other Patriots-related questions. He did, however, talk about what he is looking for while coaching at the Senior Bowl.
“I just want to see if they can take stuff from the class room to the field, and come out here and actually get it right, and then look like professional football players,” Brown said. “This is their big transition from college football into the NFL. This is their chance to show all these scouts and coaches out here, and GMs, whatever it is, and you guys watching on NFL Network, to show them what they got.”
Brown first joined the Patriots as running backs and kick returners coach in 2020, shifting to his current role the following season. The team’s wideout group struggled to perform at a consistent level under his leadership, but it is up to Jerod Mayo and the incoming offensive coordinator to decide where the blame for that lies.
As of right now, every outcome still appears to be on the table. Brown’s attire at the Senior Bowl is a subtle reflection of that.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login