Getty GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Devin McCourty #32 of the New England Patriots reacts after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 during Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The New England Patriots have hired one of their former players as an assistant coach.
The Patriots made a couple of coaching moves over the weekend. Not only did they hire veteran coach Jedd Fisch, they also signed a young assistant in Vinnie Sunseri. The 26-year-old Sunseri previously coached at the University of Alabama as a graduate assistant and was a former practice squad player of the Patriots back in 2016.
Although Sunseri never played in a regular season game for the Patriots, his stint was memorable enough in the locker room as team defensive captain Devin McCourty remembers Sunseri. In fact, not only does McCourty remember his former teammate — he likes him and fully supports the Patriots’ latest coaching hire.
The 32-year-old veteran stated the following during “Double Coverage with the the McCourty Twins” podcast.
“He was in New England while I was there, in the safety room,” McCourty said. “Very energetic, funny guy. All you New Englanders that watch this, you’re getting an energized guy, a that knows the game. He coached at Alabama. His dad (Sal Sunseri) is a coach, so he’s one of those kids that they say, ‘He’s a coach’s son.’
Outside of Sunseri’s endearing personality, McCourty also gives credit to the former safety, saying that he understands technique and leverage for defensive backs.
“He understands technique. He understands leverage. He understands everything because he does it perfectly, and now he is also following in his dad’s steps. His older brother (Tino Sunseri) actually a coach, too, that was at Alabama. Vinnie was there in the spring and was hanging out with him. So I’m happy to see him in New England. I think he’ll be a very bright mind added to the coaching staff.”
Sunseri starred for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2011 until 2013 and won two national championships during his collegiate career.
Patriots’ Other Coaching Hire
A move that went under the radar over the weekend was New England’s hire of the 45-year-old Jeff Fisch in an unspecified role. Fisch has never served as a head coach in the NFL, but he has served as an interim head coach at UCLA and has been an offensive coordinator at numerous stops.
In fact, Fisch has served as an offensive coordinator with the Minnesota Vikings, Jacksonville Jaguars and at the University of Miami. While the offensive coordinator with the Vikings back in 2009, he helped lead the team to an NFC Championship Game appearance and a ranking of second in points scored.
With Joe Judge having departed for the New York Giants as their newest head coach, it remains to be seen if Fisch will fill in the vacant wide receivers/special teams coach rule that Judge had occupied.
Drew Bledsoe Once Thought Tom Brady Would Be Jason Garrett
While Jason Garrett is now best known as the former Dallas Cowboys head coach, he was once a career backup quarterback. Despite lasting in the NFL for 12 seasons, he started just nine games — the definition of a career backup.
Drew Bledsoe, the former franchise quarterback of the Patriots, once thought his former backup — Tom Brady — would be nothing more than what Garrett was — a career backup.
“Here’s the real truth of it,” Bledsoe said before making his confession. “So when he was on the practice squad his rookie year, I actually called my financial advisor about him like, ‘Hey, I really like this kid. He’s never going to be a starter. He’s just going to be Jason Garrett or one of those guys who are just around forever, but you’ll really like the kid.’”
Of course, Brady wound up becoming a six-time Super Bowl champion and arguably the greatest quarterback ever.
It’s probably a good thing Bledsoe didn’t become a football scout, because he was dead wrong with this prediction.