Another ex-Patriots staffer flees for college
The coaching carousel rolls on for the Patriots.
Joe Houston, an assistant special teams coach, is set to become the special teams coach at the University of Florida, according to a team source.
Houston, a former kicker at USC, has spent the last four seasons with the Patriots.
“Houston does a great job working with all the specialists and also working with the core guys as well,” Patriots special teams coordinator Cam Achord told reporters in October. “I always think it’s a special opportunity when you have a guy that’s done it before, felt the ball off his foot, kicked the ball off his foot. It’s a guy that can really talk about how it’s feeling where you’re hitting the ball.
“Joe is a great resource for those guys,” he added. “He does a great job with them, talking to them, keeping their minds right.”
Houston is one of multiple assistants who have departed Foxborough for college since the start of the offseason, a group that includes offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien (Ohio State) and wide receivers coach Ross Douglas (Syracuse).
While Achord is still listed as special teams coach, the Patriots have reportedly connected with several names for the job moving forward, including Thomas McGaughey, Marquise Williams ,and Jeremy Springer.
Browns return to Dorsey
Ken Dorsey, the former Browns quarterback — and former Bills coordinator — has been hired by coach Kevin Stefanski as Cleveland's offensive coordinator, a person familiar with the hiring told the Associated Press.
Dorsey was fired as Buffalo’s offensive coordinator in November. It's not yet been decided if he'll call plays for Cleveland, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Dorsey replaces Alex Van Pelt ,who was fired by Stefanski just days after the Browns were beaten, 45-14, by the Texans in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Van Pelt had been with Cleveland since 2020. He declined a chance to stay with the club in another role.
Van Pelt, 53, interviewed for the OC opening in Las Vegas this weekend.
Dorsey, 42, didn't make it through two seasons with the Bills. He was let go in November by coach Sean McDermott during a surge in turnovers and puzzling regression by quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills finished the regular season strong — with Joe Brady as OC — and won the AFC East before losing in the playoffs last week at home to Kansas City.
Meanwhile, the Bills said Sunday they were taking the interim tag off Brady, making him the offensive coordinator on a full-time basis.
The decision comes after the Bills held a short interview process, which included Brady, last week. Brady also interviewed with the Falcons for their head coaching vacancy, which has since been filled by Raheem Morris.
This marks Brady’s second chance at working as an NFL coordinator after spending the 2020-21 seasons in the same role with the Panthers. He was fired by Carolina a month before the end of the 2021 season.
The 34-year-old won the Broyles Award in 2019 as college football’s top assistant after Joe Burrow-led LSU won the national title.
Bears hire two coaches
The Bears hired Kerry Joseph as their quarterbacks coach, reuniting him with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron. It’s not clear if Joseph and Waldron will be working with quarterback Justin Fields next season or maybe USC’s Caleb Williams. The Bears have the No. 1 and 9 picks in the draft in April.
Chicago is hiring Eric Washington as its defensive coordinator. Washington, who began his coaching career with the Bears in 2008, spent the previous four seasons with the Bills.
Fangio gets call in Philly
The Eagles have tabbed Vic Fangio to be their defensive coordinator. Fangio spent the past season with Miami in the same role. He finished 2022 as a consultant for Philadelphia . . . Along with Dorsey, the Browns hired Jacques Cesaire as their defensive line coach to work with Myles Garrett, the favorite to win AP Defensive Player of the Year.