Working through the New England Patriots’ options to replace Bill Belichick the coach, and Bill Belichick the GM.
Bill Belichick’s time in New England has come to an end.
The stunning news broke on Thursday morning, when following a few days of meetings, owner Robert Kraft and the legendary head coach came to a mutual decision to part ways. The two had tried to find a way to make things work heading into 2024, but could not find a path forward together.
Now they will go their separate ways.
For Belichick, reports have surfaced that he wants to stay coaching, and given the number of jobs available this hiring cycle, he will have options. Both the Atlanta Falcons and the Washington Commanders have expressed interest in his services, and it will be fascinating to see where he could land next year.
As for the Patriots? There are a number of options New England can consider as the next head coach, starting with some familiar faces, as well as some external options. Let’s work through them, before turning to potential general manager options.
Replacing Belichick the head coach
Jerod Mayo
Linebackers coach, New England Patriots
As far as in-house options go, Jerod Mayo’s name tops the list. Mayo, who played his entire career for Belichick, has been viewed as the team’s “head coach in waiting” for the past few seasons. He was offered head coaching interviews with other teams during the last hiring cycle, but turned those down when the Patriots announced last January that they had “begun contract extension discussions with Jerod Mayo that would keep him with the team long-term.”
Is that because Mayo was given assurances he would step into the role? The speculation was certainly there a year ago.
Now we might find out for sure.
Bill O’Brien
Offensive coordinator, New England Patriots
While Mayo might be the top in-house candidate, he is not the only one. Bill O’Brien returned to Foxborough this season with one job: Fixing the Patriots offense. While the offense improved in some ways, O’Brien was not able to get the best out of Mac Jones, and the young quarterback was eventually benched.
Still, O’Brien has head coaching experience, and has also developed young quarterbacks in the past. That could be something the Patriots are looking for given their needs at the position.
Mike Vrabel
Former head coach, Tennessee Titans
When word came out that the Tennessee Titans were moving on from Mike Vrabel, speculation immediately grew that the former Patriots linebacker could return to Foxborough, this time as a head coach.
Vrabel spent eight seasons in New England as a player, winning three Super Bowls, and was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame this season. If Mayo is the top internal candidate, Vrabel is likely the top “external” candidate, albeit one with strong New England ties.
Brian Flores
Defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings
Brian Flores is another “external” candidate with strong New England ties. Flores began his coaching career as a special teams assistant during the 2008 season, working his way up the coaching ladder to eventually become the team’s linebackers coach in 2016. Flores added defensive playcalling duties to his resume for the 2018 campaign, and was an integral part of the staff that helped slow down Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams offense in Super Bowl LIII.
Flores then took a head coaching job, staying in the AFC East to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. After going 5-11 his first year, Miami finished with a 10-6 record in 2020, narrowly missing out on the playoffs. The Dolphins went 9-8 the following year, clinching back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2003.
However, Flores was fired by Miami, and subsequently brought a lawsuit against the Dolphins as well as other teams, alleging racial discrimination. The lawsuit also raised allegations that Miami owner Stephen Ross pressured him to lose games to improve their draft position, as well as tampering with quarterback Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton.
The Dolphins were docked a first-round pick, and Ross was suspended and fined, for the tampering allegations by the NFL. The lawsuit is ongoing.
After spending a year in Pittsburgh with the Steelers, Flores took over as the defensive coordinator in Minnesota this year, helping to turn around a defense that struggled a season ago. He could be a prime candidate in New England.
Ben Johnson
Offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
Now we can move to the true external candidates.
If the Patriots want a true reset, you might expect Ben Johnson’s name to be at the top of the list. First off, there is the cycle of head coach hirings we often see: A team moves on from an offensive-minded head coach, and brings in a defensive-minded head coach, or vice versa.
In this case the Patriots would be moving on from the defensive wizard in Belichick, to an offensive-minded coach in Johnson.
Johnson has worked wonders with Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions offense, and given the Patriots’ needs at quarterback, he could be the perfect candidate to develop their next passer.
Bobby Slowik
Offensive coordinator, Houston Texans
Similar to the Ben Johnson discussion, enter Bobby Slowik.
The Houston Texans are in the playoffs, and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has done a tremendous job with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. That will make him a very attractive option for teams that will be developing a rookie of their own next season, and the Patriots could be among those teams. Slowik has already been approached by the Washington Commanders, and it would not be a surprise if the Patriots reach out, should they cast a wide net.
Mike Macdonald
Defensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
While last year it was Ben Johnson who rocketed up the ranks of coordinators who could become head coaches, this year it is Mike Macdonald. The defensive coordinator in Baltimore has worked wonders this season with the Ravens, building one of the best defenses in football.
Is that enough to propel him into a head coaching position? Teams have already reached out to him, including the Titans. Would New England hire another defensive-minded coach, given Belichick’s prowess on that side of the ball, and their needs on offense? Perhaps they would go down that road with a younger head coach, provided they could find the right offensive coordinator to pair someone like Macdonald with.
Dan Quinn
Defensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys
When news broke that Pete Carroll was out as the head coach in Seattle, Dan Quinn was immediately linked to the now-vacant Seahawks job. That makes a ton of sense, given Quinn’s ties to both Carroll — who will be staying on as an advisor in Seattle — and the Seahawks themselves. Quinn spent four years in Seattle over two different stints, and seems a logical fit with the Seahawks.
However, New England could be a fit as well. Yes, the concerns over going defense-defense remain, but Quinn is another strong option for the Patriots to consider.
Josh McDaniels
Former head coach, Las Vegas Raiders
I mean, sure, he is an option.
From where I sit, however, a McDaniels return to Foxborough likely comes as an offensive coordinator, to be paired with a defensive-minded hiring such as Macdonald or Quinn. Given how McDaniels’ two stints as a head coach have gone, it is likely he needs another OC stint to rehabilitate his coaching image.
Frank Smith
Offensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins
Finding a new head coach while stealing him away from a division rival?
That sounds like a good idea.
Frank Smith has truly worked his way up the coaching ranks, starting out as a graduate assistant at Miami of Ohio before breaking into the NFL as an assistant offensive line coach with the New Orleans Saints in 2010. After spending five years with the Saints, he became the tight ends coach in Chicago, and later with the Raiders.
Smith then moved into a role with the Los Angeles Chargers as their run game coordinator and offensive line coach, before joining Mike McDaniel’s staff as the Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator starting in 2022. Smith has helped one of the NFL’s most explosive, and innovative, offenses, which could make him a very intriguing option. The Carolina Panthers have already requested an interview with Smith, and New England could certainly follow.
Jim Harbaugh
Head coach, Michigan Wolverines
Let’s get a little nuts.
Jim Harbaugh’s flirtations with the NFL are an annual tradition, as we covered extensively in this piece ahead of the National Championship game. Now, Harbaugh has his first title, as he guided the Wolverines to a championship earlier this week.
If this is the year he makes the leap back to the NFL, the Patriots could be the ideal stop.
After all, he would land in a role where developing a young quarterback would be at the top of the “to do” list, and Harbaugh has shown the ability to develop passers at both the college and the NFL level. With the Patriots holding the third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, they might find themselves staring at QB3 with that pick — should Chicago and Washington both draft quarterbacks — so perhaps they go a different direction at third overall.
And draft J.J. McCarthy later.
Those are certainly options.
Replacing Belichick the general manager
Similar to the decision regarding finding a new head coach, the general manager search in Foxborough can begin with in-house/familiar faces, before branching out to some external options.
Matt Groh
Director of Player Personnel, New England Patriots
Dave Ziegler
Former general manager, Las Vegas Raiders
Nick Caserio
General manager, Houston Texans
Jon Robinson
Former general manager, Tennessee Titans
We can start with some familiar faces. Matt Groh is currently the Patriots Director of Player Personnel, and is the most likely in-house option to take over as general manager. However, before leaving to take the GM job in Las Vegas, Dave Ziegler held the Director of Player Personnel role in New England. Nick Caserio, who has built a playoff team in Houston, also has New England ties, but it would be hard to see him leave what looks like a promising young team that he has built to start over in New England. As for Jon Robinson, he began as a scout with the Patriots before working his way up to Director of College Scouting, before leaving New England to take the Director of Player Personnel job in Tampa Bay. He was fired in Tennessee after seven years as their GM.
Adam Peters
Assistant general manager, San Francisco 49ers
Mike Borgonzi
Assistant general manager, Kansas City Chiefs
Kelly Kleine Van Calligan
Executive director of football operations, Denver Broncos
Jim Nagy
Executive director, Senior Bowl
Trey Brown
Senior personnel executive, Cincinnati Bengals
Catherine Raîche
Assistant general manager, Cleveland Browns
If the Patriots look outside the family/Belichick tree, there are some fascinating names to consider. Adam Peters is perhaps at the top of the list of general manager candidates this cycle, and has already been linked with the job in Washington. However, Peters does have some ties to New England, as his first NFL job came as a scouting assistant with the Patriots.
Another candidate with ties to the area is Mike Borgonzi, who has been with the Kansas City Chiefs for over 15 years, serving as the Assistant GM the past few seasons. Borgonzi was born in Everett, Massachusetts and played college football at Brown.
Catherine Raîche and Kelly Kleine Van Calligan are two fascinating candidates. Raîche got her start in the CFL, serving as an executive for both the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts. She then joined the Philadelphia Eagles under Howie Roseman where she eventually took on the role of Vice President of Football Operations, before joining the Cleveland Browns this year as the Assistant GM under Andrew Berry. She interviewed for the Vikings’ GM role last cycle. Kleine just finished her 12th NFL season, and her third with the Broncos. She was recently interviewed by the Raiders for their GM position.
Then there is Jim Nagy, who took over as the Executive Director of the Senior Bowl in 2018. Among his stops when he was an NFL scout? New England. Given the work that he has done the past few years identifying collegiate prospects, his wealth of knowledge could make him an enticing GM choice … provided he wants to return to the league.
