Patriots Rumors: Several Coaches To Leave In Staff Shake-Up

It is far from a surprise, but Jerod Mayo won’t be the only New England Patriots coach to not return next season.

And there’s a better idea of who won’t be coming back under Mike Vrabel as four offensive coaches reportedly are departing the staff.

According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, tight ends coach Bob Bicknell, running backs coach Taylor Embree, wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes, assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood and coaching assistant Keith Jones Jr. won’t be with the Patriots in 2025.

The changes to the offensive staff come after the Patriots once again struggled mightily on that side of the ball. New England ranked 30th in the NFL in points per game (17.0) and 31st in yards per game (291.9). It was the second straight season they were a bottom-three team in both categories.

Hughes and Underwood, who played one season for the Patriots in 2011, got next-to-nothing out of the team’s young crop of receivers, aside from DeMario Douglas. Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker were non-factors as rookies and seemed to go backward in their development as the season went along.

Bicknell leaving might be a slight head-scratcher out of the bunch since Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper performed well this season. Henry recorded career highs in receptions (66) and receiving yards (674) while Austin Hooper tallied 45 receptions for 476 yards and tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches.

It was already known that Jones wasn’t going to be back with the Patriots. He moved to the college ranks and accepted a defensive assistant coaching position with Appalachian State, which was announced by the school.

The coaching shake-up was bound to happen with Vrabel now in charge as he’ll want to set his own staff. There’s been no news on if offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and defensive coordinator Demarcus Covington will return with the Patriots next season, but it’s a possibility both aren’t back.

Covington reportedly interviewed with the Cincinnati Bengals for their defensive coordinator job while New England’s abysmal offense could have Van Pelt trying to catch on elsewhere as well.