Weeks after his foray into the head coaching world ended after three playoff-less seasons in Detroit, Matt Patricia found a familiar landing spot. The Patriots are bringing him back to join their staff, Jim McBride of the Boston Globe reports.
The longtime Patriots defensive coordinator will serve in a variety of roles, per McBride and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter). The Pats transitioned to Brian Flores as their top defensive assistant following Patricia’s 2018 exit and have seen Jerod Mayo rise into that role since. Patricia, however, served as New England’s DC for six years and spent his entire NFL coaching career with the franchise prior to relocating to Michigan three years ago.
Patricia will follow Josh McDaniels in trekking back to the Patriots after an HC tenure did not work out. McDaniels returned to the Pats during the 2011 playoffs, ahead of a divisional-round game against the team that fired him (the Broncos), and resumed OC duties in 2012. Patricia will rejoin a Patriots defensive staff that has gotten younger since his exit.
Patricia, 46, became the latest Bill Belichick assistant to struggle away from his mentor. The Lions went 13-29 under his watch and fired him after a Thanksgiving Day blowout loss. After coaching with the Patriots from 2004-17, he will have a chance to reboot his career and provide their staff with extensive experience.
Not surprised by this.
Not surprised at all by this move. Also he wasn’t a great DC either. His defense gave up a lot of yards.
Who says you can’t ever go home?
“The longtime Patriots defensive coordinator will serve in a variety of roles”.
He’s more likely to eat a variety of rolls.
A plethora of them
Dinner, sushi, etc.
Love this. Happy to have Patricia back working with the defense
He’s penciled in to be a big asset.
He must be pretty good at doing those Sudoku and crossword puzzles by now.
Did they say DC or DB?
The only “New England” guy to succeed outside of New England was never actually a coach under Belichick.
Flores?