New England Patriots - NESN.com
The Patriots have their coaching staff.
With head coach Mike Vrabel and his coordinators Josh McDaniels (offense), Terrell Williams (defense) and Jeremy Springer (special teams) already locked in, the Patriots on Wednesday night announced the hiring of 19 new assistants on a 27-man staff.
Here are four takeaways following the reveal:
The biggest difference from last season
As reports trickled in, it was clear Vrabel was going after experience. Mission accomplished. In addition to Vrabel, there are four assistants who have head coaching experience with McDaniels, offensive line coach Doug Marrone, tight ends coach/passing game coordinator Thomas Brown (interim head coach) and senior defensive assistant Ben McAdoo. On the offensive side of the ball, New England has four coaches who previously served as offensive coordinators with wide receivers coach Todd Downing joining the McDaniels, Marrone and Brown. While it’s yet to be seen what that will mean on gameday, there’s something to be said about the knowledge Vrabel has in the room. Marrone working with the offensive linemen is an especially interesting hire given his decades of experience with that group, which we previously highlighted here. It’s a stark difference from New England’s staff last season when it was led by a first-year head coach, first-year offensive play-caller and first-year defensive coordinator.
A stunning holdover
It was known there would be at least a few holdovers with Springer and special teams assistant Tom Quinn, who worked under Vrabel in Tennessee. It’s now known there are seven from last season’s staff staying on. They include assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler, defensive assistant Vinny DePalma as well as strength and conditioning coaches Deron Mayo and Brian McDonough. McAdoo is returning but changing roles. The most stunning among them is Deron Mayo, Jerod Mayo’s brother who was brought into the fold last year. He’ll continue to serve on the strength and conditioning staff under Frank Piraino, director of sports performance.
Vrabel’s idea for McAdoo
Vrabel, known as a defensive-minded head coach during his Tennessee tenure, transitioned to the offensive side of the ball last season in Cleveland. He worked with tight ends and offensive linemen and helped offensive players gain insight into what opposing defenses might try to attack. It seems he’s deploying a similar tactic with McAdoo, who was brought into New England as a senior offensive assistant last year and now will be a senior defensive assistant in 2025. The theory is McAdoo might be able to help Patriots defenses with some reverse thinking when it comes to game-planning, etc. The fact the Patriots have McDaniels and others in Drake Maye’s ear this season probably limits the need for McAdoo on that side of the ball, where he was needed last season.
Plenty of Nashville flavor
Vrabel’s staff includes nine coaches with Titans ties. They include running backs coach Tony Dews, assistant offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling, defensive line coach Clinton McMillan, linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, safeties coach Scott Booker, cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton, defensive assistant Milton Patterson as well...
