Getty New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels looks on before the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium on September 08, 2019, in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Heading into the 2020 season, the New England Patriots’ will make some notable changes to their coaching staff.
Former Patriots assistant coach Joe Judge left the organization to become the head coach of the New York Giants. He had been the Patriots receivers’ coach. His departure has caused a shift in the coaching staff.
Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Mick Lombardi was the assistant QB coach in 2019, but he will take over Judge’s role in 2020. The newly hired Jedd Fisch will assist the current offensive coordinator and QB coach Josh McDaniels. These changes will obviously have no impact on the head coaching duties, which have been held down by Bill Belichick for more than 20 years.
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Mick Lombardi
The 31-year-old Patriots assistant, who is the son of former Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi, might be the next Belichick disciple to become a hot commodity on the head-coaching market.
While he was in a seemingly higher-level position in 2019 as the assistant QB coach, this move into Judge’s former role will get him more experience and visibility — the man he is replacing went on to a head-coaching opportunity.
If the Patriots’ offense doesn’t falter and young players such as QB Jarrett Stidham and last year’s first-round pick, WR N’Keal Harry, have good seasons, Lombardi’s name will become a hot one across the NFL.
Jedd Fisch
The 43-year-old Fisch began his coaching career more than 20 years ago. Along the way, he has worked for the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars as an offensive coordinator, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, Michigan, Miami, Florida and UCLA in the college ranks.
Most recently, he served as the assistant offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2019. Fisch’s presence caused some speculation as to whether the Patriots would consider bringing in free-agent QB Blake Bortles. Fisch was Bortles’ offensive coordinator when the latter was a rookie, so there is an obvious connection.
That hasn’t happened, nor has there been any validation of the scuttlebutt that circulated when Fisch was hired last month. In any case, Fisch brings a wealth of experience to the Patriots’ coaching staff.
How Long Will Josh McDaniels Stay With the Patriots?
McDaniels has had one shot at a head-coaching job when he left the Patriots to take on the Denver Broncos in 2009. He is still just 43 years old and has had great success with the Patriots since returning after a one-year stint with the Rams in 2011.
Tom Brady’s departure will provide an excellent opportunity for McDaniels to prove his worth as a coach. When surrounded by so much greatness (Brady and Belichick), it’s easy to question McDaniels’ impact on the Patriots’ success.
If McDaniels can help to guide Stidham and the Patriots’ offense in 2020, it will serve as major validation, and it could elevate him into another head-coaching job — if he wants it.
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