If you’re a Patriots fan, you may have heard about the latest report regarding the team’s coaching staff. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Pats are looking at the possibility of hiring Bills HC Matt Patricia, and could have a decision made sometime over the next few days. While the reports are unconfirmed at this time, it’s a report that would certainly make some fans in New England nervous. One report states that Pats OC Josh McDaniels would be waiting to hear if he would become the Pats’ head coach before coming back to New England, while another states that Pats HC Bill Belichick is on the verge of doing the same. While this is all just speculation at this point, many believe the Pats are having
Today, there is a report that the Belichick-Patricia pairing may be coming together, and that no matter who is announced as the new head coach next week, it will be the duo of Belichick and Patricia in the booth. While others are dismissing the idea as an ill-conceived fantasy, the fact is that the pair have worked together for years, and while it may not be ideal, the idea has merit.
Bill Belichick didn’t surprise many people by bringing Matt Patricia back to the New England Patriots team after the 2020 season. Patricia, a Patriots assistant coach and former defensive coordinator, didn’t even make it to the end of his third season as head coach of the Detroit Lions. But if the reported potential plan becomes a reality, he could be a head coach again in the near future, and Patriots fans should be very concerned.
Could Matt Patricia become the Patriots’ next head coach or general manager?
New England Patriots fans should be very concerned about a report that Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia via Getty Images Before Matt Patricia took over the Detroit Lions in 2018, it made sense that either he or Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would eventually replace Bill Belichick. Given Patricia’s failed tenure as Lions coach, it makes sense that the Patriots would look in a different direction at some point. But Belichick and the Patriots have traditionally been risk-averse, so maybe the latest news isn’t such a big surprise. According to the Boston Globe, the Patriots are grooming Patricia – who currently holds the role of top assistant – for a larger role in the coming years. When the time is right, Patricia could become head coach or general manager of the team. The sounds you hear are the laughter of Lions fans and the startled screams of Patriots fans.
Patriots fans should be very concerned that this idea becomes a reality
It is important to note that Patricia’s resume, at least on paper, makes him a candidate for a future head coaching position. He is a former head coach in the NFL and has held various positions on the Patriots’ coaching staff. But anyone who watched the Lions during his tenure saw that the team was in turmoil. While fans can’t blame him for the team’s injuries, he has been rightly criticized for the team’s missed opportunities and his own attempts to replicate the Patriots’ culture in Detroit. Patriots fans have seen many of Belichick’s assistants crash and burn elsewhere. Patricia had her chance to be a head coach, but nothing worked on or off the field. So why would they risk going through a slump with him as their head coach? The same applies to his possible promotion to the post of Director-General. Nick Caserio, a longtime Patriots employee, took the general manager’s job with the Texans in January 2021. So the chances of him returning to New England if he still has a job in Houston are slim. It’s not an ideal scenario for Patriots fans. Patricia has done a good job as defensive coordinator, and he has a smart football mind, but this could be his ceiling as a coach.
Bill Belichick and the Patriots should look for other options when the time comes
Bill Belichick says Matt Patricia learned new skills during his time in Detroit: His advice, guidance and presence have been invaluable in many ways. I am very happy to have him here and I appreciate his contribution. – Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) May 27, 2021 There are currently two trends when it comes to recruiting players. Teams generally want to find the next Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan, a capable and younger offensive specialist, as their next head coach. Those same teams prefer analytically minded men as general managers. Patricia is great – don’t forget he has an engineering degree from college – and coached in the NFL for almost 20 years. But when the time comes, the Patriots will need to find more traditional options for the post-Belichick era. Steve Belichick, Bill’s son and current Patriots halfbacks coach, is a possible option to replace his father as head coach. McDaniels is still developing, and the coaching carousel in the NFL is still in flux. For all we know, Belichick’s long-term replacement with the Patriots could still be a college coach. Belichick has shown no desire to retire soon, so Patricia will have plenty of time to establish herself as the next head coach or general manager. But for now, Patriots fans have to hope this idea ends up in the flames’ dustbin. Like Sportscasting on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @sportscasting19 . COMPARED TO: Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft made strong statements to honor Patriots legend Adam Vinatieri
