Top 5 Patriots Assistants Who Should Be Retained in 2025

The New England Patriots are expected to make changes after the 2024 season. Those things should not come as a surprise for a 3-12 team. And while head coach Jerod Mayo is expected to return for a second season, not many others in the coaches’ room should feel quite so safe.

Many proponents of a big change are looking for one of their four people atop the hierarchy to lose their jobs. That group consists of executive Eliot Wolf, head coach Jerod Mayo, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. CEO Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft would obviously be safe from any changes since they’d be making them.

Any discussions of which coaches should be replaced can be saved until after the season. However, Mayo stated earlier this week that he’d be looking at which coaches (and players) they want to bring back for 2025. With that in mind, here is an unsolicited endorsement of five assistant coaches worth keeping. And it should be noted that a coach not being included here is not an endorsement of them getting fired.

Also Read – Kelley: Who Will Determine Alex Van Pelt’s Fate in New England?

A look at the Top 5 Patriots assistants who should be retained:

5. T.C. McCartney

McCartney serves as the position coach for the most important player on the 53-man roster, quarterback Drake Maye. QB play has not been the issue for New England this season. Even when Jacoby Brissett wasn’t playing well enough to generate Patriots wins, Brissett could hardly be blamed. He played exactly as anyone who witnessed his career up until this season could have expected.

The value of T.C. McCartney, like many assistants, is difficult to gauge. Which coach deserves the bulk of the credit for Drake Maye performing so well so early? Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and offensive assistant Ben McAdoo work extensively with Maye, too. But having some continuity in the quarterback room, in the form of a young, well-respected coach like McCartney, seems like a no-brainer.

4. Mike Pellegrino

Pellegrino is the lone assistant from the Belichick Era included on this list. The cornerbacks’ coach has done another solid job with an often undermanned unit. Second-year corner Christian Gonzalez went from a talented prospect coming off of an injury to a superstar under his watch. Maybe Gonzalez would have excelled regardless of his positional coach, but that is only speculation.

Marcus Jones enjoyed the best defensive season of his young career this season, and young cornerbacks Isaiah Bolden and Marcellas Dial Jr. continue to develop. The Patriots would benefit from adding another certified starter at cornerback, though coaches cannot be held responsible for management not adding anyone to the group in the offseason aside from Dial. The lack of an overall team pass rush also puts tremendous stress on the secondary. Adding more talent to the overall mix on defense will help all the coaches look better, including Pellegrino.

3. Taylor Embree

New England’s running backs have enjoyed a productive season despite receiving little help from the offensive line in run blocking. The lone knock against the group has been ball security, with Rhamondre Stevenson fumbling seven times this season. However, Stevenson also has 968 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns with two games remaining.

Antonio Gibson has been a nice complementary back. He is on the verge of 500 yards rushing while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt. Gibson picked up two blitzes last week, showcasing some impressive blocking skills. Embree is from a family of NFL coaches and has made a positive impression in his first season with the New England Patriots.

2. Jeremy Springer

Pro Football Focus graded the New England Patriots special teams unit as No. 20 in the NFL last season with a grade of 77.6. That ranking has improved to No. 1 under Springer in 2024. The Patriots special teams unit received a 90.6 grade from PFF through Week 16.

New England has improved in all facets of their special teams operation under Springer, even with Joey Slye’s recent kicking inconsistencies. Special teams star Brenden Schooler, punter Bryce Baringer, long snapper Joe Cardona, and returner Marcus Jones are all among the elite performers at their positions. The special teams unit has seen significant progress with Jeremy Springer, one of the more questioned hires, at the helm. There is no need for a change.

1. Bob Bicknell

The most consistent unit on the New England Patriots this season has been their tight ends. Hunter Henry leads the Patriots with 66 receptions and 674 receiving yards. Austin Hooper has contributed 38 receptions for 430 yards, which dwarfs the 2023 numbers of the man he replaced, Mike Gesicki (who is having an excellent season in Cincinnati). The two tight ends have combined for 104 receptions, 1,104 yards, and five touchdowns in 2024.

Bicknell has extensive experience as a wide receivers coach as well. If New England opts to replace wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes, Bob Bicknell could be a candidate to fill that role. Either way, Bicknell should be on the staff in 2025. The next step is the development of rookie Jaheim Bell, who has only one reception for two yards this season, largely due to a lack of opportunities.