Patriots Coach and Staff Tracker: Multiple Assistants Added; McCartney Departs

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
• Ryan Cowden – Vice President of Player Personnel
• John Streicher – Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy
• Joe McDonald – Senior Analyst, Football Strategy
• Josh McDaniels – Offensive Coordinator
• Terrell Williams – Defensive Coordinator
• Ashton Grant – Quarterbacks Coach
• Tony Dews – Offensive Assistant
• Riley Larkin – Offensive Assistant
• Zak Kuhr – Defensive Assistant
• Clinton McMillan – Defensive Assistant

• Jeremy Springer – Special Teams Coordinator

• Jerod Mayo – Head Coach

DEPARTURES

INTERVIEWS

COMPLETED

Defensive Coordinator

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

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

DECLINED

Head Coach

• Aaron Glenn – Lions Defensive Coordinator

REPORTS

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

Titans assistant defensive line coach and pass rush specialist Clinton McMillan is joining the Patriots. McMillan worked under Mike Vrabel from 2021 to 2023.
– Mark Daniels, MassLive

Obio State offensive assistant Riley Larkin will join the Patriots as an offensive assistant. Last season, Larkin worked with quarterbacks.
– Pete Thamel, ESPN

New staff addition John Streicher has officially been named 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