Patriots appear to be grooming Matt Patricia for a ‘major role’

When we last checked in on former Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia, he had an unspecified job back with the New England Patriots whose duties included signing player contracts as the Patriots’ representative and even taking a big part in pre-draft evaluations. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe has since done some digging into Patricia’s new role with his former team, and he suggests Patricia’s future with the organization may be headed towards a much bigger role.

Though Patricia’s official title remains undefined—he’s still not listed on the Patriots’ official website—Volin notes that his duties have expanded. He was seen teaching alongside head coach Bill Belichick during this week’s OTAs and was even teaching technique to some of the defensive linemen during drills. He was reportedly working the phones during the draft, too. Put it all together, and it sure sounds like Patricia’s on the fast track to a much higher-level position than originally believed.

“While Josh McDaniels, Steve Belichick, and Jerod Mayo are all discussed as potential heirs to Belichick, it is Patricia who looks as though he is being groomed for a major role — either in coaching or the front office,” Volin posits.

The Patriots have recently lost two key players in their front office: their long-time, jack-of-all-trades director of player personnel Nick Caserio (now the Texans general manager) and their director of football research Ernie Adams, who announced the 2021 draft would be his last with the team (though it’s unclear if Adams is retiring outright).

What is clear is that Patricia is picking up at least some of the slack left by their departures. He’s adding front-office experience—including contract negotiations and draft preparation—to his resume, while continuing to have his hand in coaching. Does that mean he’s the next Bill Belichick in Foxborough or will he become Belichick’s right-hand man, like Caserio and Adams were in the past?

For more, check out Volin’s entire article over at the Boston Globe.