Report: Robert Kugler Coming to New England

Robert Kugler is reportedly finalizing a deal to join the New England Patriots coaching staff. Kugler would likely serve as assistant offensive line coach. New England continues to fill out the staff under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal was the first to report.

Kugler has been an NFL assistant offensive line coach for the past three seasons. He spent the 2021 season with the Houston Texans. He then joined the Carolina Panthers in the same role for the past two years. Carolina replaced their offensive coaching staff following the 2023 season. During the 2022 season Patriots offensive assistant Ben McAdoo was the offensive coordinator for the Panthers.

Before joining the National Football League as a coach, Robert Kugler had college experience working at UTEP, Washington, and Appalachian State.

Kugler is a former center for the Purdue Boilermakers. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection in his final season. He signed with the Buffalo Bills after not being selected in the 2016 NFL Draft but was among their final cuts before the season began.

Robert Kugler’s father Sean is a longtime college and pro football coach. Sean Kugler has multiple connections to members of the New England Patriots organization. He was the offensive line coach during Alex Van Pelts final two years coaching with the Buffalo Bills. Sean Kugler was also the head coach at UTEP when special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer was a graduate assistant for two seasons.

James Campen has been the offensive line coach for all three seasons Robert Kugler has been an assistant offensive line coach in the NFL. Campen has worked alongside Eliot Wolf (2004-2017, 2019), Alonzo Highsmith (2012-2017, 2019), Alex Van Pelt (2012-2017), Ben McAdoo (2006-2013), and Jerry Montgomery (2014-2018).

With the addition of Robert Kugler, the New England Patriots offensive coaching staff is nearly complete. The team still needs to hire positional coaches for running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends. Based on the connections to current Patriots employees, several potential candidates are still available.