What will the New England Patriots’ coaching staff look like next season? We received a few hints on Monday.
Scott Zolak, the Patriots’ radio analyst for 98.5 The Sports Hub, revealed on his “Zolak & Bertrand” show what he’s heard about New England’s forthcoming coaching changes.
A rundown:
— Linebackers coach Jerod Mayo will be given the title of “assistant head coach” after signing his Patriots contract extension, which the team announced last week that it was working on. Mayo reportedly turned down invitations to interview for the defensive coordinator job in Cleveland and a head-coaching position in Carolina, so it was clear his extension would include a promotion.
Bill Belichick employing an assistant head coach isn’t unprecedented. Legendary offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia also had that title from 2000 until his initial retirement in 2014.
“But I don’t think it’s just the title,” Zolak said of Mayo. “I think you actually got to put more in charge, you know, as far as you got to see the way you’re going to run all three groups here just in case something would happen to me. You’re the next guy. You’re my hand-picked next guy in charge. That’s the way this thing’s going to go. …
“I think this is keeping him around to be the next guy when Bill is done. I think that’s where this is headed. Read the room. Not saying I know anything or anything, but I just think it’s a natural progression. And I think you’ve obviously made him enough of an offer with a wink without putting on paper, you’re the next guy.”
Mayo has served as the Patriots’ de facto co-defensive coordinator alongside Steve Belichick for the past several seasons, with the latter calling plays.
— Matt Patricia will be “moving upstairs” into an advisory position similar to the one he held in 2021. He won’t be calling plays — which the Patriots made clear in last week’s stunning announcement — and won’t be coaching the offensive line, either.
Zolak did say Patricia could serve as a sort of pseudo O-line assistant, however, depending on who Belichick taps to coach that position group full-time. Billy Yates was the team’s assistant O-line coach under Patricia this season.
“You could still do that,” Zolak said. “Matt’s at practice regardless whether he’s upstairs or down. If he’s sitting there talking to Billy and the line, what’s the big effing deal? He’s not calling the plays.”
— After coaching Mac Jones and the Patriots’ quarterbacks this season, Joe Judge will return to his old gig as special teams coordinator. He’ll replace Cam Achord, who will be demoted to special teams assistant, not fired after his unit ranked dead last in the NFL in Football Outsiders’ DVOA.
Judge coordinated the Patriots’ special teams from 2015-19 before leaving to become head coach of the New York Giants.
— Tight ends coach Nick Caley likely will leave for a job elsewhere.
“I think Nick Caley is gone,” Zolak said.
Caley, the Patriots’ longest-tenured offensive assistant, reportedly will interview for the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator vacancy.
