Recently-retired former Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins expressed interest in coaching with Bill Belichick.
Former New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins, a two-time Super Bowl champion, called it a career but he could return to the sidelines in Foxboro soon.
Collins, 33, said “officially retired” on Friday, October 6, in an interview with ESPN via Patriots reporter Mike Reiss. Before the season in June, Collins expressed his desire to coach.
“Hopefully y’all will see me back out there with a headset on,” Collins said on the “Locked On Patriots” podcast. “Never thought I’d be a coach, man … but being around Bill Belichick [and] Jerod Mayo … I’ve learned so much from those guys, I can definitely see myself coaching now.”
Collins also told ESPN about his interest in coaching on Friday. A second-round draft pick by the Patriots, Collins played for two Patriots Super Bowl teams in 2014 and 2016. Reiss noted that Collins got traded in the middle of the 2016 season to the Cleveland Browns.
#Patriots OLB Jamie Collins makes a crazy play to block a field goal. Perfect example of reading the snap count.
“It hasn’t hit me yet, but I’m officially retired,” Collins told ESPN via Reiss. “It was wonderful and something I never thought I’d be a part of. Made a lot of great relationships. Had a ton of fun. Now it’s time to relax and be with my family.”
“The kids definitely keep me in shape and keep me running around, not to mention my nerves and blood pressure up,” Collins added. “But I’m still thinking about football all the time, it’s bleeding through my veins. I love the game.”
Jaime Collins Played Three Stints With the Patriots
New England drafted Collins with a second-round pick in 2013 out of Southern Mississippi, and he played the first of three stints with the Patriots from 2013 to 2016. After he spent the later part of the 2016 season with the Browns via a trade, he played two full seasons in Cleveland before the team released him in March 2019.
Collins reunited with the Patriots in 2019 followed by a season with the Detroit Lions in 2020 via free agency. The Lions released him in September 2021, and he played the final two seasons of his career with the Patriots after re-signing in October 2021.
New England Got the Most Out of Jamie Collins
He had plenty of success with the Patriots in seven seasons nine interceptions, five fumble recoveries, 18.5 sacks, and 330 tackles. Overall, Collins had 12 picks, 19 fumble recoveries, 26.5 sacks, and 708 tackles for his career. In the playoffs, Collins performed well in nine career games with 55 tackles, three sacks, and two interceptions.
Collins’ best year with the Patriots, 2015, led to second-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl selection. Collins shined that season with five forced fumbles, six pass deflections, 5.5 sacks, and 89 tackles.
Jamie Collins Earned Big Outside of New England
Collins bagged $55.31 million in his career as he cased in during his times with the Browns and Lions. He never made more than $3 million in a year with the Patriots, but he averaged $12.5 million annually with the Browns and $10 million with the Lions.
His full contract with the Lions would have paid him $30 million over three years, and his full deal with the Browns would have earned him $50 million over four years.