To the surprise of many in the New England area, it might not take long for Matt Patricia to find NFL work if he's not retained by the Patriots.
The 2022 season had a chance to be a redemption campaign for Patricia, who was handed the keys to the Patriots offense after an unsuccessful tenure as head coach of the Detroit Lions. But Patricia didn't do the unit any favors, as Mac Jones took a significant step back in Year 2 and the offense as a whole was largely anemic from wire to wire.
The 48-year-old apparently still has a level of cachet in the league as a defensive mind, though. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport on Wednesday reported Patricia met with Sean Payton to discuss the Denver Broncos' vacant defensive coordinator position. The news might as well have been a comedy bit for football fans.
Patriots fans surely would love to see Patricia land the job in the Mile High City, but ironically enough, an old New England nemesis might prevent it. Former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan reportedly is a "top candidate" for the Broncos DC gig.
