The Patriots stored busy on Super Sunday, reportedly including two assistant coaches earlier than the kickoff of Super Bowl LVIII.
Ex-Ravens and Giants exterior linebackers coach Drew Wilkins has been employed to the identical place in New England, based on the NFL Network. Wilkins spent the previous two seasons in New York, the place he was fired final month together with former Giants and Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Before following Martindale to New York in 2022, Wilkins coached in Baltimore for a dozen seasons, together with two as an out of doors linebackers coach.
With the Patriots, he’ll reunite with four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matt Judon. Wilkins coached Judon to his first two Pro Bowls in Baltimore. Wilkins initially began as a Ravens video operations intern, then turned a training assistant in 2013 and climbed the ranks whereas working primarily with defensive linemen and linebackers.
In New England, Wilkins will crew with new Patriots linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower, whose return and hiring was introduced Friday.
The Patriots additionally added to their offensive employees, hiring new assistant large receivers coach Tiquan Underwood, per a number of reviews. Underwood was a teammate of latest head coach Jerod Mayo’s throughout the Patriots’ 2011 season, throughout which period he turned identified for his high-top fade haircut and notorious launch the evening earlier than Super Bowl XLVI.
Underwood has since damaged into teaching, the place he labored with school receivers at Pitt and Rutgers over the previous 4 seasons. The 36-year-old was the one offensive assistant retained at Pitt this winter, after he coached main Panthers wideout Jared Wayne to a 1,000-yard marketing campaign.
It’s unclear who the Patriots’ lead receivers coach can be subsequent season. Troy Brown has served in that position the previous three years, nevertheless it has not been reported whether or not Brown will keep or transfer on. The Pats misplaced fellow large receivers coach Ross Douglas midseason to a job at Syracuse, and didn’t exchange him; although Underwood seems to have crammed that position now.
Underwood is ready to hitch new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney, offensive line coach Scott Peters, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo on the Patriots’ offensive teaching employees.
Source: www.bostonherald.com