Patriots reportedly ‘in talks’ to add former NFL head coach to offensive staff
OAKLAND, CA – DECEMBER 03: Head coach Ben McAdoo of the New York Giants looks on during warm ups prior to their NFL game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 3, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
As the New England Patriots build out their 2024 coaching staff, there are a number of key coaching that will be in high-level positions for the first time. Their latest target to add to the staff could add some experience, by way of bringing in a former head coach
According to SI’s Albert Breer, the Patriots are ‘in talks’ to add former New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo to their offensive staff. According to Breer, McAdoo would likely “play an assistant head coach type of role” in support of new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who has just one season of offensive play-calling experience that came back in 2009.
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McAdoo, 46, has worked with Van Pelt before. They were both on Mike McCarthy’s offensive staff in Green Bay in 2012 and 2013, with Van Pelt serving as the running backs coach and McAdoo as the quarterbacks coach. Van Pelt later replaced McAdoo as the quarterbacks coach when McAdoo left to be the Giants’ offensive coordinator in 2014.
Both worked with current Patriots director of scouting Eliot Wolf, who worked in the Packers’ personnel department during both of their entire tenures with the team. McAdoo started working with the Packers as a tight ends coach in 2006, while Van Pelt was in Green Bay from 2012-2017.
After leaving Green Bay, McAdoo spent two years as the Giants’ OC before replacing Tom Coughlin as the team’s head coach in 2016. McAdoo was fired late in his second season, and didn’t return to the NFL until the Jacksonville Jaguars hired him as a quarterbacks coach in 2020. In 2021 he was a consultant for the Dallas Cowboys, then joined the Carolina Panthers as an offensive coordinator in 2022. He was out of football in 2023.
Throughout his 20-year career in the NFL McAdoo has spent time working directly with multiple positions. He’s spent three years as a quarterbacks coach, six as a tight ends coach, and one as an assistant offensive line coach.
While the Patriots are targeting McAdoo, they still need to fill out their positional coaching roles on both offense and defense. Here’s a look at who they’ve talked to so far…
Patriots coaching staff tracker: Building out the staff
Offensive coaching staff
Browns offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt directs the offense during training camp, Aug. 5, 2022 in Berea. (Syndication: Akron Beacon Journal)
Offensive coordinator: Alex Van Pelt
Quarterbacks coach: T.C. McCartney
Running backs coach: Taylor Embree
Wide receivers coach: Unknown (no official parting of ways with Troy Brown)
Assistant wide receivers coach: Tiquan Underwood
Tight ends coach: Vacant
Offensive line coach: Scott Peters
Assistant offensive line coach: Robert Kugler
Offensive assistant: Ben McAdoo
Offensive assistant: Michael McCarthy
The Patriots completed their coordinator search by hiring Van Pelt, a former NFL quarterback. Now, they begin the process of filling out his staff. Here’s a look at who they’ve been linked to for positional coaching roles…
— Robert Kugler (former Carolina Panthers assistant offensive line coach)
— Ben McAdoo (former New York Giants head coach)
— T.C. McCartney (former Cleveland Browns coach)
x — Andy Dickerson (hired by Cleveland Browns)
Patriots’ offensive coordinator interviews…
— Scott Turner (Las Vegas Raiders pass game coordinator)
— Klint Kubiak (San Francisco 49ers pass game coordinator)
— Luke Getsy (former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator)
— Brian Fleury (San Francisco 49ers tight ends coach)
— Tanner Engstrand (Detroit Lions pass game coordinator)
— Jerrod Johnson**** (Houston Texans quarterbacks coach)
— Thomas Brown***** (Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator)
— Nick Caley (Los Angeles Rams tight ends coach)
— Zac Robinson*** (Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach)
— Dan Pitcher** (Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach)
— Shane Waldron* (Seahawks offensive coordinator)
*Waldron was hired as the Chicago Bears OC after interviewing with the Patriots
**Pitcher was promoted to the Bengals’ OC job, replacing new Titans head coach Brian Callahan
***Robinson was hired as the Atlanta Falcons OC after interviewing with the Patriots
****Johnson is staying in Houston in his current role
*****Brown was hired as the Chicago Bears pass game coordinator after interviewing with the Patriots
Defensive coaching staff
Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Defensive coordinator: DeMarcus Covington
Defensive line coach: Jerry Montgomery
Inside linebackers coach: Dont’a Hightower
Outside linebackers coach: Drew Wilkins
Cornerbacks coach: Mike Pellegrino
Safeties coach: Brian Belichick
The Patriots named Covington their defensive coordinator, promoting him from within (he was previously the defensive line coach). Mayo and Covington now will go through the process of building out the rest of the staff. Above are coaches they’ve interviewed for positional roles since officially promoting Covington, and below is a look at the other coaches the Patriots interviewed for the DC role, who could be candidates for positional coaching jobs.
— Jerry Montgomery (former Green Bay Packers defensive line coach & run game coordinator)
— Gerald Alexander (Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach)
— Michael Hodges (New Orleans Saints linebackers coach)
— Christian Parker (Denver Broncos defensive backs coach)
— Tem Lukabu (Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach)
Special teams staff
Jun 2, 2022; Thousand Oaks, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams special teams assistant coach Jeremy Springer during organized team activities at California Lutheran University. Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Special teams coordinator: Jeremy Springer
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has reported the Patriots are hiring Springer as their new special teams coordinator. The team has had multiple special teams coaches in the past, so look for him to add one or two assistants to his staff. The only other coach the Patriots interviewed for special teams who hasn’t taken another job yet is Thomas McGaughey.
