Bill Belichick's time in New England is over.
This surprising news was announced on Thursday morning. After several days of talks, owner Robert Kraft and the legendary head coach mutually decided to part ways. The two were trying to find a way to make things work for 2024, but couldn't find a way forward together.
From now on, they will go their separate ways.
As for Belichick, reports have surfaced that he wants to continue coaching, and given the number of jobs available this recruiting cycle, he will have options.Both atlanta falcons And that commander of washington Many people have expressed interest in his services and it will be interesting to see where he lands next year.
What about the Patriots? There are many options New England could consider for its next head coach. We'll start with some familiar faces and some outside options as well. Before we look at potential general manager options, let's consider them.
Replacement of head coach Belichick
Jerrod Mayo
linebackers coach, new england patriots
As far as in-house options go, Jerrod Mayo's name is at the top of the list. Mayo, who played for Belichick his entire career, has been considered the team's “head coach-in-waiting” in recent seasons. He received head coaching interview offers from other teams during the last recruiting cycle, but he declined during the interview. Patriots announced last January They said, “We have begun discussions with Jerod Mayo about a contract extension to keep him with the team long-term.''
Is it because Mayo has been confirmed to play the role? This speculation was true a year ago.
You might know that for sure now.
Bill O'Brien
New England Patriots offensive coordinator
Mayo may be the top internal candidate, but he's not the only one. Bill O'Brien returned to Foxboro this season with one job: fixing the Patriots' offense. Although the offense improved in some ways, O'Brien was unable to get the best out of Mac Jones, and the young quarterback ultimately ended up on the bench.
Still, O'Brien has experience as a head coach and has developed young quarterbacks in the past. That might be what the Patriots are looking for given their needs at the position.
mike vrabel
former head coach, tennessee titans
When the Tennessee Titans announced the transfer of Mike Vrabel, speculation quickly mounted that the former Patriots linebacker would return to Foxboro, this time as head coach.
Vrabel spent eight seasons in New England as a player, won three Super Bowls, and was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame this season. If Mayo is the top internal candidate, Vrabel is likely to be the top “outside” candidate, even though he has strong ties to New England.
Brian Flores
defensive coordinator, minnesota vikings
Brian Flores is another “outside” candidate with strong New England ties. Flores began his coaching career as a special teams assistant during the 2008 season and worked his way up the coaching ladder, eventually taking over as the team's linebackers coach in 2016. Flores added defensive play-calling duties to his resume for the 2018 season and played an integral role.with Jared Goff Los Angeles Rams The offense in Super Bowl LIII.
Flores then moved on to the head coaching position, remaining in the AFC East and becoming the AFC's head coach. miami dolphins. In the first year, they had 5 wins and 11 losses, but in 2020 they finished with 10 wins and 6 losses, and unfortunately missed the playoffs. The following year, the Dolphins went 9-8, winning back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2003.
However, Flores was fired by the Miami side and subsequently filed a lawsuit against the Dolphins and other teams for racial discrimination. The lawsuit alleges that Miami owner Stephen Ross pressured quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton into losing games in order to improve their draft position and cheated on quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton. Suspicions have also been raised.
As a result of the NFL's tampering allegations, the Dolphins were stripped of their first-round pick and Ross was suspended and fined. The lawsuit is ongoing.
After spending a year in Pittsburgh, steelers, Flores took over as Minnesota's defensive coordinator this year and helped rebuild a defense that struggled before the season. He could be New England's top prospect.
ben johnson
offensive coordinator, detroit lions
Now we move on to the true external candidates.
If the Patriots want a true reset, you might expect Ben Johnson's name to be at the top of the list. First, there's the head coach hiring cycle that we often see. A team transitions from an offensive-minded head coach and brings in a defensive-minded head coach, or vice versa.
In this case, the Patriots would be moving from a defensive wizard in Belichick to an offensive-minded coach in Johnson.
Johnson has done a great job with Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions' offense, and given the Patriots' needs at quarterback, he could be the perfect candidate to develop their next passer.
bobby slowick
offensive coordinator, houston texans
Enter Bobby Slowik, similar to the Ben Johnson discussion.
The Houston Texans are in the playoffs, and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has done a great job with rookie quarterback CJ Stroud. That makes him a very attractive option for teams developing their own rookies next season, and the Patriots could be among those teams. Slowik has already been approached by Washington's general managers, and if the Patriots cast their net far and wide, it wouldn't be surprising if they reached out.
mike mcdonald
defensive coordinator, baltimore ravens
Last year, it was Ben Johnson who quickly rose to the top as a coordinator who could become a head coach, but this year it's Mike McDonald. Baltimore's defensive coordinator has done a great job with the Ravens this season, building one of the best defenses in football.
Is that enough to propel him to the head coaching position? Teams have already contacted him, including the Titans. Given Belichick's talent on the ball and needs on offense, would New England hire another defensive-minded coach? Perhaps if they can find the right offensive coordinator to pair with a player like McDonald, they'll go that route with a young head coach.
Dan Quinn
defensive coordinator, dallas cowboys
When news broke that Pete Carroll was resigning as Seattle's head coach, Dan Quinn immediately began engaging with the vacant head coaching position. seahawks work. This makes a lot of sense given Quinn's ties to both Carroll and the Seahawks themselves, who remain in Seattle as an advisor. Quinn has spent two different stints in Seattle over his four years and seems like a logical fit for the Seahawks.
However, New England could also be a good fit. While there are certainly still concerns about staying on defense, Quinn is another strong option for the Patriots to consider.
Josh McDaniels
former head coach, las vegas raiders
So, sure, he's an option.
But from where I stand, McDaniels' return to Foxboro will likely come as an offensive coordinator paired with defensive-minded guys like McDonald and Quinn. Considering how McDaniels' two stints as head coach have gone, it's likely that he will need another stint as OC to rebuild his image as a coach.
frank smith
Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator
Looking for a new head coach while poaching one from a division rival?
That's a good idea.
Frank Smith started as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami, Ohio and then entered the NFL as an assistant offensive line coach. new orleans saints After five years with the Saints, he became the tight ends coach in Chicago and later with the Raiders.
After that, Smith Los Angeles Chargers Smith served as run game coordinator and offensive line coach before joining Mike McDaniel's staff as the Miami Dolphins' offensive coordinator starting in 2022. Smith has helped one of the most explosive and innovative offenses in the NFL and could be a very interesting option.of carolina panthers They have already requested an interview with Smith, and New England could definitely follow suit.
jim harbaugh
head coach, michigan wolverines
Let's eat some nuts.
Jim Harbaugh's flirtation with the NFL is an annual tradition that we covered extensively in this article ahead of the National Championship game. Harbaugh earned his first title after leading the Wolverines to the championship earlier this week.
If this is the year he makes the leap to the NFL, the Patriots could be his ideal destination.
After all, he will be in a role where developing young quarterbacks is at the top of the “to do” list, but Harbaugh has shown the ability to develop passers at both the college and NFL levels. There is. The Patriots have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, so if Chicago and Washington both draft quarterbacks, they could be looking at a QB3 with that pick, so maybe 3rd overall might go in a different direction.
And later draft JJ McCarthy.
Those are certainly options.
Belichick's successor general manager
Similar to any decision regarding finding a new head coach, the search for a general manager in Foxborough will likely start with some internal faces and then expand to several outside options.
matt glow
Director of Player Personnel, New England Patriots
dave ziegler
Former Las Vegas Raiders general manager
Nick Caserio
Houston Texans General Manager
John Robinson
Former Tennessee Titans GM
Let's start with some familiar faces. Matt Groh is currently the Patriots' director of player personnel, making him the most likely in-house option to become general manager. However, Dave Ziegler held the role of Director of Player Personnel in New England before leaving to take the GM job in Las Vegas. Nick Caserio, who built a playoff team in Houston, is also affiliated with New England, but it would be hard to see him leave what appears to be a promising young team he built to start over in New England. As for Jon Robinson, he started as a scout for the Patriots, worked his way up to college scouting director, and then left New England to take the director of player personnel position in Tampa Bay. He was fired after seven years as GM at Tennessee.
adam peters
San Francisco 49ers Assistant General Manager
mike borgonzi
Kansas City Chiefs Assistant General Manager
kelly klein van culligan
Executive Director of Football Operations, Denver Broncos
Jim Nagy
Senior Bowl Managing Director
trey brown
Senior Human Resources Officer, Cincinnati Bengals
Katherine Reich
Cleveland Browns assistant general manager
If the Patriots look outside of Family/Belichick, there are some attractive names to consider. Adam Peters is likely at the top of the list of general manager candidates this cycle and has already been rumored to take the job in Washington. However, Peters has some ties to New England, as his first NFL job was as a scouting assistant for the Patriots.
Another candidate with ties to the area is Mike Borgonzi, who has been with the Kansas City Chiefs for more than 15 years and served as assistant GM for the past few seasons. Borgonzi was born in Everett, Massachusetts and played college football at Brown University.
Katherine Reich and Kelly Kleine Van Culligan are two attractive candidates. Reisch began his career in the CFL, serving as an executive with both the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. She then joined the Philadelphia Eagles under coach Howie Roseman, eventually taking on the role of vice president of football operations, and this year she joined the Cleveland Browns as assistant GM under Andrew Berry. . She interviewed for the Vikings GM role last cycle. Kleine just completed her 12th season in the NFL and her third season with the Broncos. She recently interviewed for the Raiders GM position.
Then there's Jim Nagy, who became executive director of the Senior Bowl in 2018. Among the people he stopped by when he was an NFL scout? New England. Given the work he's done identifying college prospects over the past few years, his wealth of knowledge could make him an attractive GM option…if he wants to return to the league. If that is the condition.
