Patriots Coach and Staff Tracker: Ben McAdoo Switching to Defensive Staff

Jerod Mayo is out after just one season as Patriots head coach, forcing New England to embark on its second head coaching search in as many years.

Team owner Robert Kraft took responsibility for putting Mayo in an “untenable situation” that included a league-worst roster and yet another patchwork coaching staff.

“Going through two years like [2024 and 2023] and then seeing where we were this year, especially the second half of the year, just made me feel we weren’t going in the right direction,” Kraft said on Monday. “I don’t want to go through this next year. We’re going to do what we’ve got to do to fix it.”

Ownership confirmed that coaches and front office members will remain until after the search. Kraft added the team would interview “as many people as we can that we think can help us get to that position that we want to be in.” The coach selected will have the final say on who stays and who is replaced, though now-UNC head coach Bill Belichick could also poach some staffers.

Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith will be involved in the search alongside Robert and Jonathan Kraft, but neither’s job security is guaranteed.

Now, equipped with franchise quarterback Drake Maye, over $130 million in cap space, and prime draft capital, the Patriots look to bring talent, stability, and respectability back to New England.

The Patriots have officially satisfied the Rooney Rule after interviewing former offensive coordinators Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton for their head coaching vacancy.

UPDATE: The Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach. Staff updates are pending.

STAFF MOVES

• Mike Vrabel – Head Coach

Front Office

• Ryan Cowden – Vice President of Player Personnel
• John Streicher – Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy
• Joe McDonald – Senior Analyst, Football Strategy

Coordinators

• Josh McDaniels – Offensive Coordinator
• Terrell Williams – Defensive Coordinator

Offensive Assistants

• Doug Marrone – TBD
• Thomas Brown – Tight Ends Coach/Pass Game Coordinator
• Ashton Grant – Quarterbacks Coach
• Tony Dews – TBD
• Jason Houghtaliing – TBD
• Riley Larkin – TBD

Defensive Assistants

• Ben McAdoo  – TBD
• Zak Kuhr – TBD
• Clinton McMillan – TBD
• Kevin Richardson II – TBD
• Milton Patterson – TBD
• Scott Booker – TBD

• Jeremy Springer – Special Teams Coordinator
• Tom Quinn – Special Teams Assistant
• Ben McAdoo – TBD

• Jerod Mayo – Head Coach

DEPARTURES

INTERVIEWS

COMPLETED

Head Coach

• Pep Hamilton – Former Texans Offensive Coordinator
• Byron Leftwich – Former Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator
• Mike Vrabel – Former Browns Consultant, Titans Head Coach
• Ben Johnson – Lions Offensive Coordinator

Offensive Coordinator

• Thomas Brown – Bears Interim Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator
• Marcus Brady – Chargers Pass Game Coordinator
• Grant Udinski – Vikings Assistant Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach
• Josh McDaniels – Former Raiders Head Coach

Defensive Coordinator

• Ryan Crow – Dolphins Outside Linebackers Coach
• Terrell Williams – Lions Defensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator

DECLINED

Head Coach

• Aaron Glenn – Lions Defensive Coordinator

REPORTS

Ben McAdoo will work on the Patriots’ defensive coaching staff in 2025.
– Mike Giardi, The Boston Journal

The Patriots are retaining 2024 senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo, potentially in a new role.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington is joining the Packers as a defensive line coach.
– Rob Demovsky, ESPN 

Bills nickel coach and senior defensive assistant Scott Booker is joining the Patriots defensive staff. Booker served as a Titans defensive assistant in 2018 before being promoted to safeties coach in 2020, a title he held until Mike Vrabel’s final season.
– Matt Zenitz, 247Sports

Cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino will not return to the Patriots in 2025. Pellegrino served as cornerbacks coach from 2019-2024.
– ESPN, Mike Reiss

Safeties coach Brian Belichick will not return to the Patriots in 2025. Belichick served as safeties coach from 2020-2024.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Bears assistant offensive line coach Jason Houghtailing is joining the Patriots offensive staff. Houghtailing served as the Titans’ offensive line coach under Mike Vrabel in 2023 after two seasons as an assistant offensive line coach.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Thomas Brown has been hired as the Patriots’ tight ends coach and pass game coordinator.
– Tom Pellisero, NFL Network

Florida A&M defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Milton Patterson is joining the Patriots’ defensive staff.
– Joseph Pasteris

Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins and linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower will not return to the Patriots in 2025 after one season each in New England.
– Mark Daniels, MassLive

BC senior analyst for football strategy/research Doug Marrone is joining the Patriots’ staff. Marrone played offensive line in the NFL and has coached the position at the college and pro level over three decades.
– Joseph Pasteris

Former Bears interim head coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown is “still in talks” to join the Patriots’ offensive staff. Brown has mostly coached running backs, but he also coached tight ends for one season with the Rams, where he served as assistant head coach for two seasons.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

The Patriots have added Illinois assistant defensive backs coach Kevin Richardson II to their defensive staff.
– Joseph Pasteris

Quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney will not return to the Patriots in 2025.
– Mark Daniels, MassLive

Titans assistant defensive line coach/pass rush specialist Clinton McMillan is joining the Patriots’ defensive staff. McMillan worked under Vrabel for several seasons in Tennessee.
– Joseph Pasteris

Ohio State offensive assistant Riley Larkin is joining the Patriots’ offensive staff. Larkin worked with quarterbacks for the national champions in 2024.
– Pete Thamel, ESPN

John Streicher will be the Patriots’ vice president of football operations and strategy.
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Patriots are hiring Browns offensive assistant/quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant to be their quarterbacks coach.
– Jonathan Jones, CBS Sports

Giants defensive assistant Zak Kuhr is leaving New York to join the Patriots’ staff. Kuhr spent the previous four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, the first as a quality control coach and the last three as an inside linebackers assistant.
– Ryan Dunleavy, The New York Post

Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery will not return to the Patriots after one season with the team.
– Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will not return to the Patriots after one season with the team.
– Mark Daniels, MassLive

Former Jets running backs coach Tony Dews is joining the Patriots’ staff. Dews worked with Mike Vrabel for six seasons in Tennessee, including coaching running backs from 2018 to 2022 and tight ends in 2023.
– Zack Rosenblatt, The Athletic

Lions defensive line coach/run game coordinator Terrell Williams to be named the Patriots’ newest defensive coordinator.
– Adam Schefter, ESPN

Lions defensive line coach/run game coordinator Terrell Williams has spoken to the Patriots, and it is seen “as a likelihood that Mike Vrabel hires him”
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones would “not be surprised” if Bears interim head coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown joined the Patriots’ staff, assuming he doesn’t land a coordinator job elsewhere.
– Carlos A. Lopez, Sleeper HQ

The Patriots have hired Josh McDaniels to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy.
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

The Patriots interviewed Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow for their defensive coordinator vacancy. – – Tom Pelissero, NFL Network

Lions defensive line coach/run game coordinator Terrell Williams has spoken to the Patriots and is expected to be hired as the team’s defensive coordinator.
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Patriots interviewed longtime offensive coordinator and former Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels for their offensive coordinator vacancy.
– Mark Daniels, MassLive

The Patriots are targeting Lions defensive line coach/run game coordinator, Terrell Williams to be their defensive coordinator. Williams was Mike Vrabel’s defensive line for all six seasons in Tennessee, and he was promoted to assistant head coach in 2023.
– Matt Zenitz, 247Sports

The Patriots expanded their offensive coordinator search, bringing in Vikings assistant offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Patriots requested to interview Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow for their defensive coordinator vacancy. Crow spent six seasons with the Titans under Mike Vrabel.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer will be retained under new head coach Mike Vrabel.
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

Former Red Sox director of baseball analytics Joe McDonald joined the Patriots in December as a senior analyst, football strategy.
– Chris Cotillo, MassLive

Patriots offensive line coach Scott Peters and assistant offensive line coach Michael McCarthy are joining the Bengals in the same roles.
– Cincinnati Bengals

Rams game management assistant John Streicher is joining the Patriots later this week.
– Karen Guregian, MassLive

Rams game management coordinator John Streicher is expected to join the Patriots and reunite with Mike Vrabel. Streicher served as Tennessee’s director of football administration in 2023 and football development coordinator from 2020 to 2022.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Former Titans former strength coach Frank Piraino is expected to join Mike Vrabel with the Patriots.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Some in the NFL believe Lions defensive line coach and run-game coordinator Terrell Williams would be Mike Vrabel’s “ideal pick” for defensive coordinator. Eagles inside linebacker coach Bobby King, Dolphins outside linebacker coach Ryan Crow, and Titans passing-game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Chris Harris are considered top backup options.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Momentum “building” for special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer and assistant Tom Quinn to be retained by Mike Vrabel.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

The Patriots have requested to interview Chargers pass game coordinator Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator vacancy.
– Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

The Patriots interviewed Bears interim head coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown for their offensive coordinator vacancy on Tuesday.
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

Patriots tight ends coach Bob Bicknell, wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes, and assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood are leaving the team.

Patriots executive vice president of football business Robyn Glaser plans to resign after 18 seasons with the team.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Patriots director of skill development Joe Kim is leaving the team in 2025.
– Mike Reiss, ESPN

Ryan Cowden’s title with the Patriots “will be along the lines of vice president of player personnel.”
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Giants are allowing Ryan Cowden out of his current contract to join the Patriots’ front office.
– Mike Garofolo, NFL Network

Giants executive advisor to the general manager Ryan Cowden is expected to join the Patriots’ staff. Executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf is expected to retain personnel power. Cowden was the Titans’ vice president of player personnel from 2018-2022 and the team’s interim general manager in 2022.
– Charles Robinson, Yahoo

The Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel to be their 16th head coach in franchise history.|
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

The Patriots and Mike Vrabel‘s agent have engaged in contract talks, “potentially a big domino” for the two sides.
– Tom Pelissero, NFL Network

Mike Vrabel is believed to be the “overwhelming favorite” to land the Patriots’ head coaching job. Ben Johnson is in strong consideration if things do not work out.
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

Most around the league believe Mike Vrabel is the favorite for the Patriots’ head coaching job.
– Adam Schefter, ESPN

Though Ben Johnson interviewed well with the Patriots, New England is pushing for a quick resolution to their HC search” and a decision is expected this weekend.
Dianna Russini, The Athletic

The Patriots’ interview with Ben Johnson for their head coaching vacancy went “great.”
– Dianna Russini, The Athletic

The Patriots announced they have completed their virtual interview with Ben Johnson.
– New England Patriots

The Patriots’ request to interview Aaron Glenn for their head coaching vacancy has been declined.
– Tom Pelissero, NFL Network

The Patriots announced they have completed their interview with Mike Vrabel for the team’s head coaching vacancy.
– New England Patriots

Patriots defensive assistant Keith Jones has accepted the same role for Appalachian State Football.
– Appalachian State Football

There is “buzz” that Josh McDaniels could be a prime candidate to be Mike Vrabel’s offensive coordinator.
– Jeremy Fowler, ESPN

The Patriots have requested to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
– Albert Breer, Sports Illustrated

The Patriots’ virtual head coaching interview with Ben Johnson will take place on Friday.
– Adam Schefter, ESPN

The Patriots have a virtual meeting scheduled with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson for their head coaching vacancy sometime this week.
– Dianna Russini, The Athletic

New England will meet with Mike Vrabel for their head coaching vacancy on Thursday. The Patriots Hall of Famer is viewed as a front-runner for the position.
– Ian Rapoport, NFL Network

Vikings defensive coordinator and former Patriots coach Brian Flores says he would would accept a head coaching interview from New England if offered.
– Kevin Seifert, ESPN

The Bengals will interview Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington for their open coordinator position this Wednesday.
– Tom Pellisero, NFL Network

The Patriots are among four teams interested in Mike Vrabel, along with the Bears, Saints, and Jets.
– Adam Schefter, ESPN

Top head coaching candidate Mike Vrabel reportedly interviewed with the Jets to pressure New England into making a move.
– Aditi Kinkhabwala, CBS Sports