The New England Patriots are likely going to lose both of their top coordinators this offseason. Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels are expected to accept new jobs as head coaches for the 2018 NFL season.
According to an article published today by Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston, some Patriots players opened up about what they thought about Patricia and McDaniels' inevitable departures from the team.
Patriots safety and defensive captain Duron Harmon said that he trusts whoever head coach Bill Belichick puts on his staff, as the culture of winning has been developed through him after two decades.
“The culture is built. The culture is built,” Harmon said on Wednesday. “This is two decades of winning. A winning franchise. Coach Belichick is going to make sure whoever is in the defensive room is going to be the right guy to display the message and the picture that he wants his defense to play with. That goes through the defensive coordinator, whoever he hires.”
However, New England special teams captain Matthew Slater said that the process of replacing both Patricia and McDaniels would not necessarily be easy.
“Whenever you're trying to get something done professionally, to be able to have consistent leadership and foundation upon which to build is important,” Slater said. “A consistent message, understanding what you're trying to get done. And we're fortunate not only with Josh but obviously Coach Belichick and the rest of our coaching staff.
“That consistency with the character of the coach, with the message of the coach, with what he demands of you is important because it helps set a standard. And then when players come in you say, ‘OK this is what's expected of me and anything less is not going to be good enough.' ”
The Patriots, who advanced to their seventh straight AFC Championship Game with their recent 35-14 thrashing of the Tennessee Titans, will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
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