Patriots Coach Reportedly Leaves For College, Joins Steve Belichick

The Patriots reportedly need a new running backs coach.

Vinnie Sunseri will leave New England to join the Washington Huskies as a defensive coach, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported Monday morning. Sunseri will work under Steve Belichick, who’ll become Washington’s defensive coordinator after coaching for the Patriots in a variety of roles over the last 12 years.

After starring as a safety at Alabama and playing in the NFL for three seasons, Sunseri joined New England’s coaching staff in 2020 as a defensive assistant. He spent the following three seasons as a running backs coach.

Sunseri and Belichick both will work under head coach Jedd Fisch, who coached for the Patriots in 2020.

The Patriots didn’t list anyone else as a running backs coach in 2023, so there aren’t any obvious candidates for an internal promotion. New England could look outside the organization to hire both a lead running backs coach and an assistant.