For the first time since he was hired by the New England Patriots in 2000, Bill Belichick’s team has missed the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.
While that wasn’t enough to force the six-time Super Bowl champion out of his job, Belichick is making a key change to his coaching staff as a result.
The Patriots announced Thursday that the team will begin interviewing candidates to serve as offensive coordinator.Â
While the statement doesn’t state this directly, it implies that Matt Patricia, who called the team’s plays in 2022, will either be let go or reassigned to a different position on the staff.
Patricia, who coached the Detroit Lions from 2018 through 2020, has been listed by the Patriots as a “senior football advisor” for the past two seasons.Â
However, despite Belichick’s opaque answers on the subject, reports indicate that the former defensive coordinator called offensive plays for New England this season, effectively serving as an offensive coordinator following the departure of Josh McDaniels to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Patriots finished this season ranked 26th in the NFL in total offense, 20th in passing and 17th in scoring.Â
While the Patriots have not explicitly changed Patricia’s role, their fans seem overjoyed with the news that he won’t be calling plays again next season.
It’s not just Patriots fans who have been critical of Patricia this season.Â
Kyle Yates of the Fantasy Football Playbook tweeted “I, for one, am shocked that the Matt Patricia experiment didn’t work. I mean, who saw that coming?!”
No candidates have yet been revealed for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator search.Â
Whoever the team hires will be tasked with continuing the development of quarterback Mac Jones. Jones, a first-round draft pick out of Alabama in 2021, was named to the Pro Bowl after his rookie season but faltered this year. He averaged 214 yards per game through the air and threw 14 touchdowns versus 11 interceptions on the season.
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Publish Date:2023-01-13 08:30:13
