Patriots linebackers coach/defensive play-caller Steve Belichick is reportedly leaving New England to change into the subsequent defensive coordinator on the University of Washington.
Belichick, 36, had the choice to return below new Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo. Belichick served because the workforce’s defensive play-caller the final 5 seasons, when he and Mayo successfully functioned as co-coordinators. During that point, the Patriots protection ranked No. 1 within the league by EPA and posted three top-10 finishes in factors allowed.
Mayo lately promoted defensive position coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator over Belichick. Steve, the elder son of Bill Belichick, spent 12 years on the Patriots’ employees, rising from teaching assistant to safeties coach, outdoors linebackers coach after which linebackers coach. He first known as performs in 2019, when the Patriots boasted the league’s top-ranked protection.
Belichick was the workforce’s longest-tenured assistant coach. His departure leaves the Patriots’ defensive employees low on assistants with expertise teaching within the secondary. Both Mayo and Covington have spent their total teaching careers within the entrance seven.
Belichick’s brother, Brian, may stay because the safeties coach, a job he’s held since 2020.
“We have a great relationship. They have the option to stay,” Mayo stated of Steve and Brian Belichick final month. “They also have the option to go with their father, if they want to. Still kind of going through it. I have a good relationship with both of them. They’re great coaches. We’ll see what happens.”
Covington is well-positioned to switch Steve Belichick because the protection’s play-caller, however filling the linebackers coach emptiness. During his defensive coordinator search, Mayo interviewed two linebackers coaches: ex-Carolina assistant Tem Lukabu and the Saints’ Michael Hodges. Brian Belichick may observe his brother’s instance and transfer from safeties to linebackers, a place he coached final yr on the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The Patriots’ solely different holdover assistants on protection are cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino and training assistant Keith Jones, who principally labored with the defensive position.
In Washington, Steve Belichick reunites with ex-Patriots quarterback coach Jedd Fisch. The Patriots employed Fisch in 2020, his solely season in New England earlier than leaving to take the head-coaching job at Arizona. Fisch accepted Washington’s head job final month.
Belichick’s hiring was first reported by 247Sports.
Source: www.bostonherald.com