The NFL’s coordinator carousel is slowing down, after nearly two months of spinning. The ride left Matt Patricia without a position, with the Patriots hiring Bill O’Brien after using the longtime defensive staffer in the strange role of de facto offensive coordinator.
Another Patricia path closed when the Broncos hired Vance Joseph as defensive coordinator, bringing back the veteran coach four years after firing him as head coach. Patricia, however, is still in play to work under Joseph. Sean Payton confirmed Tuesday he plans to meet with Patricia about a staff position.
“He and I are gonna talk this week, and I wouldn’t rule that out, though. If that were to possibly come to fruition, it would be for a few things,” Payton said, via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers. “I’d certainly want to talk to Vance and our defensive coaches, but I know Matt well enough to know how smart he is and what he can contribute.”
Patricia, who also joined Rex Ryan and Sean Desai as candidates for the Broncos’ DC gig, has spent the past two-plus seasons back with the Patriots. Bill Belichick rehired him, following a rough go of it as Lions HC, and installed his longtime lieutenant at different positions. Patricia spent time in an executive role upon coming back to New England and was given significant responsibilities on offense last season, working as Belichick’s top assistant on that side of the ball. That unorthodox plan did not work out, and O’Brien’s arrival left Patricia in limbo. His Pats contract expired. Patricia’s Lions contract expiring also may have played a role in the veteran looking for a role outside of New England.
Payton and Patricia have not worked together; the latter spent 14 years with the Pats — six as DC — before landing the Lions’ top job. The Broncos are keeping two holdovers on defense — DBs coach Christian Parker and D-line coach Marcus Dixon — and have already added Greg Manusky and Michael Wilhoite to head up their inside and outside linebackers, respectively. Patricia, 48, would make sense as a senior defensive assistant, but Joseph will have to sign off on one of his competitors for the DC job joining the staff.
Although Payton made the rare move to bring a fired HC back to the same team that ousted him, he confirmed he wanted Joseph’s Broncos HC successor — Vic Fangio — to come back. Payton and Fangio were linked to joining forces back in December, but the latter received a host of opportunities and ended up signing a three-year deal with the Dolphins. Fangio is set to be the league’s highest-paid DC.
“Do I think he would have been a great asset for us? Yes. We were planning, in this year/wave, if the right scenario came up we’d work together,” Payton said. “I think [the Denver fit] was just a little unique because it wasn’t too long ago he was here, but certainly I tried, talked to him, tried to twist his arm. I’m excited for his opportunity in Miami.”
Payton’s Patricia and Fangio comments made for an interesting morning for Joseph, who agreed to rejoin a team that sacked him four years ago. The initial report of Fangio agreeing to terms with the Dolphins surfaced Jan. 29; the Broncos hired Payton on Jan. 31. While Fangio’s Dolphins agreement did not become finalized for a stretch, it can be assumed Payton still attempted to pursue him for the Denver job. This all occurred before Joseph entered the picture. The Broncos’ Joseph interview request did not come out until Feb. 16. Payton confirmed Joseph’s time as Arizona’s defensive coordinator — a post the recent Cardinals HC candidate called “a tough job for a number of years” — did well to vault him past Denver’s other DC candidates.
Fangio, 64, coached the Broncos from 2019-21. Unlike Joseph, who was not with the team during GM George Paton‘s tenure, Fangio lost his job at the conclusion of Paton’s first season with the team. The Scranton, Pa., native worked with the Eagles as a consultant last season but planned on making a full-fledged DC return in 2023. The Dolphins paid him handsomely to do so.
How come daddy doesn’t have a position for him? I thought they were a big family. He could be the assistant to the assistant of the assistant head coach.
Is it me or does Patricia look like the Kool-Aid guy in that pic?
Ohh yea!
I always gave Bill bellichick credit for being one of the greatest coaches of all time. But man oh man his hiring of Matt Patricia a long time defensive assistant and failed DC as well as coach to suddenly becoming an offensive coordinator/ Play caller was not only a head scratcher but insanely stupid. Kudos to the owner putting his foot down and putting the Kabash to that experiment
The only thing I can think of is that Belichick was doing Patricia a favor and padding Patricia’s resume so he could look for another job after the season. I can’t imagine Belichick actually thought it would work. Same with Joe Clown Shoes Judge.
Without a certain Brady — and without having to cheat — Belichick has a career losing record.
“Unique”…Boy, Payton sure has a way with words.
Payton has to be rather clueless to think Vic would have considered returning to an organization that threw him under the bus. If he follows through on hiring the Pencil Man, Bronco fans have a valid excuse to weep.
Patriots should be playing AFC West this year. Having a Belichick protege at Raiders and Broncos should help them get a couple of wins.
You mean Las Vegas, where the Patriots famously lateraled their way to a Raiders win. (In a game that Fox prevented New York fans from seeing.) And there’ll be a rematch in Sin City come fall.
BTW the entire AFC East faces the entire AFC West in 2023.
The Patriots may have been worried that the Raiders had found a defense for the “tuck rule”.