Big changes are in store in for the franchise that has ruled the AFC East the last nine years. Following their loss in the Super Bowl, the New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick will be losing the services of their top two coordinators — offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia — each of whom is poised to land head coaching jobs this offseason.
McDaniels appears bound for Indianapolis to take over the coaching reins of the Indianapolis Colts, while rumors have Patricia taking over the Detroit Lions’ coaching job. Patricia has been the team’s defensive coordinator since 2012, while McDaniels has served as offensive coordinator from 2006-08, and again from 2012 to the current season. Al Michaels mentioned the moves on the Super Bowl telecast repeatedly as the worst-kept secret in the NFL for the last week.
McDaniels has been a head coach before with the Denver Broncos, while this will be Patricia’s first head coaching job. Both have been popular names among teams searching for their next head coach, with McDaniels also interviewing for head coaching positions with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants, and Patricia also interviewing with the Giants and Arizona Cardinals.
The potential offseason turnover is reminiscent of Belichick losing both offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel after 2004, when the Patriots won the Super Bowl, their third title in four years. This time, the turnover among his coaches could be harder for Belichick to deal with. Belichick will turn 66 in April, while quarterback Tom Brady will be 41 in August.
Additionally, there has been rampant media speculation that all is not well in Foxborough, with rumors of dissension among the ranks between Brady, Belichick, and owner Robert Kraft.
For Buffalo Bills fans (and the rest of the non-Patriot fans out there), could this mark the end of the Patriots’ dynasty? With the departure of Belichick’s top two assistant coaches, and with Brady on the other side of 40, there’s finally hope that the end is in sight for the Bills and the rest of the AFC (even if Brady broke all kinds of records on Sunday).