FOXBORO, Mass. -- The uncertainty surrounding Gillette Stadium this week isn't focused on the ruling triumvirate of Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady alone. There's also the chance New England will lose its three most important coaches at the end of the season.
The Patriots' bye week before their divisional-round matchup with the Titans Saturday night allowed defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and linebackers coach Brian Flores to [...]
FOXBORO, Mass. -- The uncertainty surrounding Gillette Stadium this week isn't focused on the ruling triumvirate of Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady alone. There's also the chance New England will lose its three most important coaches at the end of the season.
The Patriots' bye week before their divisional-round matchup with the Titans Saturday night allowed defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and linebackers coach Brian Flores to interview for head-coaching opportunities around the league.
Patricia is the hottest head coaching candidate in the NFL, apparently with his choice of jobs leading the Giants or Lions. McDaniels is a finalist in Indianapolis, and Flores is reportedly a serious candidate for the opening in Arizona.
There is thus the possibility not only that the Patriots lose both coordinators, but that the ready-made replacement for Patricia is also elsewhere.
This wouldn't be the first time New England lost both coordinators. Charlie Weis went to Notre Dame and Romeo Crennel to the Cleveland Browns after the 2004 season. Yes, the Patriots continued to make the playoffs. But they lost their first postseason game under Belichick in 2005, and it took them a decade to win another Super Bowl. The team took a marked step back before its 2007 return to the Super Bowl.
It's clear that coordinator continuity has been critical for the Pats over this past decade. Patricia has been with the staff since 2004 and the defensive coordinator since 2012 -- one of just four men to hold the position during Belichick's 18-year tenure in New England.
McDaniels has been the offensive coordinator for nine years across his two stints, including the last six seasons. He's one of only three guys to serve that role for Belichick's Patriots.
Like Patricia, Flores has been with the organization since 2004 in a variety of roles. After years as a scout and defensive assistant, he moved from safeties coach to linebackers coach for 2017 -- often a precursor to taking over the whole defense.
(Patricia had become the linebackers coach under his predecessor Dean Pees, eventually stepping in for him after a two-year break in which the Pats did not have a formal defensive coordinator.)
"I think we're just spoiled so we don't even understand how much that helps," said defensive captain Devin McCourty. "It's been great, especially for me to be here with all of these guys that now I know very well. I think it's always great when you come back in April and it's like, 'All right, how can I get better at little things because I already know the big things? I already know the scheme and all of that.'"
Losing McDaniels has been a distinct possibility in recent offseasons. Losing Patricia seemed possible for this one and now appears likely. Losing Flores, who helps run New England's outstanding red-zone defense, would exacerbate Patricia's departure, removing the man within the organization who could replace him most seamlessly.
If Patricia or Flores are both gone, perhaps the Patriots would look at former Buccaneers and Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, who has spent the last two seasons as Ohio State's defensive coordinator. Belichick has long appreciated the work Schiano did at Rutgers, as evidenced by the slew of Scarlet Knights he has drafted.
If McDaniels leaves, there isn't an obvious in-house replacement. The name that might make the most sense is Brian Daboll, who just won a championship in his first season as Alabama's offensive coordinator. Daboll had been New England's tight end coach before that, spending four seasons overall with the Pats staff.
To Patriots players, the uncertainty has hammered home just how rare their sustained success is.
"It just puts even more emphasis on how you have to take advantage of each year," McCourty said. "We always talk about it's a one year kind of guarantee to be with that team, and you want to take full advantage of that."