That’s the way that they role
Judge, Patricia reveal offensive coaching posts
Yes, indeed, the reports were correct.
In separate video conferences, Patriots offensive assistants Joe Judge and Matt Patricia confirmed their new roles to the media Monday.
Judge, formerly the Giants’ head coach and a special teams coordinator in New England, said he will be working with Mac Jones and the quarterbacks.
“In terms of who is coaching each position, you’ll see me on the field with the quarterbacks,” Judge said.
Meanwhile Patricia, who has been a defensive coach for virtually his entire NFL career, will be shaping the offensive line.
“I’ve been working with the offensive line, which has been great for me,” Patricia said. “It’s been fun to get back to that.”
Judge painted a picture of a collaborative effort among all of the offensive coaches. He said he would also work with the skill-position players this season, something he did in 2019 pulling double duty as the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. He added it really didn’t matter to him what position group he coaches.
“I love coaching football. I don’t care what you ask me to coach,” said Judge. “I like coaching all positions. I really enjoy offensive football. … I’ve worked and coached on all three sides of the ball.”
He later added: “There were springs and falls where I’d sit in here with the offensive line, the quarterbacks, different position groups which has prepared me in a lot of different avenues in being a more complete coach.”
As for Patricia, he first thanked Bill Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft from bringing him back in Jan. 2021 as a senior football advisor after his dismissal in Detroit, where he failed to last three seasons as a head coach. He then discussed his return to the offensive line, a position he hasn’t coached since 2005 when he assisted the now retired Dante Scarnecchia. Asked if he would be consulting Scarnecchia, Patricia said
he has the Patriots’ longtime offensive line guru on speed dial, because Scar was one of the best coaches he’s been around.
“If you have an opportunity to spend time with Dante,” said Patricia, “you automatically become a better coach.”
Patricia, however, doesn’t want to become too much of a pest to the legend.
“I don’t like to bother him,” Patricia said of Scarnecchia, “but there’s a lot of roots there and I appreciate him. It’s been fun.”
Patricia and Judge will now continue to coach the Patriots through the second phase of their voluntary offseason program, where assistants can coach players through individual and team drills. Reporters are not allowed at practice until May 26.
Offensive play-caller remains a mystery
While both Judge and Patricia provided details on their new roles Monday, the identity of the Patriots’ all-important offensive playcaller remains a mystery.
Judge and Patricia claimed they didn’t know who would replacejosh Mcdaniels on game day.
“Look, I’ll tell you directly and honestly right now, nothing has
been declared or decided, or voiced to me,” Judge said. “In terms of who calls plays, that’s not the main focus for us right now. When Coach (Belichick) wants to go ahead and declare a role like that, he’ll tell us.”
Patricia, meanwhile, was asked if he’d feel comfortable calling offensive plays. He also claimed that wasn’t on his radar right now.
“I think right now, for me, I’m just kind of focused on making sure whatever it is we’re doing on the field right now, that I’ve got that handled,” he said.
Separately, the two veteran coaches were highly complimentary of Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. Judge said Jones impressed him last year when the then rookie torched his Giants defense in joint training camp practices.
Patricia said he had eyes on him coming out of college at Alabama, as well as what he did for the Patriots last year.
“I think one of the things you notice about Mac right away is just how hard he works,” said Patricia. “He’s a very, very bright kid. He picks up the offense very quickly. He’s got just a great football mind . . . it was pretty remarkable with our offensive system, and the cadences, and the different communication, the looks, the formations and the plays.”
Pats defensive staff plays dumb
There’s starting from Square One, and then there’s whatever the Patriots defensive staff was trying to sell Monday about what they’re doing this offseason.
Three defensive assistants declined to reveal their working title for the 2022 season by claiming they didn’t know it or denying its existence during individual video conference calls with the media, while others side-stepped the topic.
“Honestly, I don’t really know, and I don’t really care,” said Steve Belichick of his role next season, having serving as the outside linebackers coach and defensive playcaller the past three years. “Honestly, I just love coaching football.”
Because of his play- calling duties, and the lack of a named defensive coordinator on staff since 2017, speculation has grown that Steve Belichick could become the team’s next lead defensive coach. Will he?
“Fair question that I don’t have the answer to,” Steve Belichick said.
Pats cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino answered close to 10 questions — most of them pertaining to newly drafted rookies Marcus Jones and Jack Jones — before being asked about his future. Pellegrino will coach cornerbacks again in 2022, right?
“That’s a good question,” he said. You’ll see.”
What about Bill Belichick, the NFL’S longest-tenured head coach who has also served as the team’s general manager, something volunteered by director of player personnel Matt Groh just last month?
“Honestly, I don’t really know what he’s going to do,” said his son, Steve, who believes Belichick will continue to be involved in all facets of the team’s football operations.
The closest revelation came from Steve’s brother, Brian, who confessed he’s been coaching the safeties, same as he has since the start of the 2019 season.
“We’re all just doing whatever is asked. I’ve worked with safeties this offseason,” Brian Belichick said.
And then there was Jerod Mayo, the Patriots’ inside linebackers for three years running, according to the team’s own media guides. As for 2022: “I’m coaching defensive players,” Mayo said.
Later, he circled back: “We all coach each position. We don’t do titles, we don’t have titles around here.”