FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 14: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands with linebackers coach Steve Belichick on the sideline at Gillette Stadium on November 14, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Last week the New England Patriots parted ways with head coach Bill Belichick, after 24 years of him running all football aspects of the organization. Not having Belichick around anymore will be a seismic shift for the franchise.
Despite that, the team may not be done with the Belichick family entirely. Bill’s two sons who were on the coaching staff with him – Steve Belichick and Brian Belichick – are reportedly being given a chance to stick around.
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“Belichick’s sons, defensive play-caller and linebackers coach Steve, and safeties coach Brian, have both already been offered the opportunity to return to the team for 2024,” SI’s Albert Breer wrote in his Wild Card takeaways column on Monday morning. “Mayo and the elder son (Steve) have grown close as they’ve collaborated to run the Patriots’ defense the past five years.”
With Belichick leaving, this has been one of the biggest questions about the Patriots’ coaching staff. Would Steve and Brian leave to follow their dad or stay in the area where their families are, in a familiar organization?
For Steve in particular, it makes sense for Mayo to make a push to keep him on the staff. Last year the Patriots’ defense played at a high level, with Steve serving as the primary defensive play caller. Keeping him on staff (potentially making him outright defensive coordinator) would help keep continuity on that side of the ball, where the Patriots also have very few internal free agents.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 19: New England Patriots linebackers coach Stephen Belichick during the preseason game between the New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on August 19, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
That all being said, the Patriots extending an offer for both Steve and Brian to stay doesn’t mean they’ll definitely be back. If their dad offers them a job on his new team – whatever team that ends up being – they’ll have a tough decision to make.
The Belichick brothers may not be the only ones choosing between staying in New England or following Bill to a new franchise either. Breer added on Monday that he “expect[s] the Krafts to empower Mayo to fill out the staff as he sees fit, with some coaches likely to follow Belichick.”
One coach he singled out in that regard? Offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. Breer noted that he expects Mayo “to conduct a full search for an offensive coordinator,” and that while that search will likely include O’Brien – who is still under contract with the Patriots – added that O’Brien “could also wind up going with Belichick.”
As a first-time head coach with a defensive background, Mayo’s offensive coordinator hire will be one of his most, if not the most consequential decision he makes in the coming weeks. If it’s not O’Brien, Breer notes that “the Patriots are going to be very open-minded in trying to find the right guy” for that job.
So far, only one name has been liked to the job beyond O’Brien. NFL Network Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that Mayo would be interested in bringing back former Patriots OC and Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels in his old role. McDaniels, like O’Brien, is also a candidate to follow Belichick. He both attended Belichick’s last game in Foxborough, and was in the audience for his farewell press conference last week.
