The Patriots quietly announced changes to their coaching staff Wednesday, with assistants who joined the organization this offseason or earned promotions finally receiving official titles.
Matt Patricia is now officially a Senior Football Advisor, having returned to New England in January after getting fired as the Lions head coach. Former Jets assistant Bo Hardegree will help coach quarterbacks this season and work in quality control. Former assistant running backs coach Troy Brown was moved back to wide receivers, where he’ll assist receivers coach Mick Lombardi. Brown has been replaced in the running backs room by Vinnie Sunseri, who served as a defensive assistant last year in his first season on staff.
Former Patriots O-lineman Billy Yates is now an assistant offensive line coach. The Pats also added Ross Douglas, a former Rutgers graduate assistant, to their defensive staff through the NFL Bill Walsh Coaching Fellows program. Evan Rothstein, who worked for Patricia in Detroit, is now serving in a similar capacity handling football research and analysis.
The Patriots did not name a defensive coordinator for the fourth straight season. Their complete 2021 staff is below.
Head coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks: Josh McDaniels
Quality control/quarterbacks: Bo Hardegree
Running backs: Ivan Fears
Assistant running backs: Vinnie Sunseri
Wide receivers: Mick Lombardi
Tight ends: Nick Caley
Offensive line: Carmen Bricillo
Assistant offensive line: Billy Yates
Defensive line: DeMarcus Covington
Inside linebackers: Jerod Mayo
Outside linebackers: Steve Belichick
Cornerbacks: Mike Pellegrino
Safeties: Brian Belichick
Special teams coordinator: Cam Achord
Returners/Wide receivers: Troy Brown
NFL coaching fellowship/defense: Ross Douglas
Senior Football Advisor: Matt Patricia
