New England Patriots

Matt Patricia could be calling Patriots' offensive plays this season

Updated Jun. 6, 2022 8:11 p.m. ET

Matt Patricia could be calling offensive plays for the New England Patriots this upcoming season.

Bill Belichick has yet to decide who will call the plays after the departure of longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who is now the head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. The situation is trending in Patricia's direction, though, per reports.

Patricia, 47, is a senior football advisor for the Patriots. He has served 15 non-consecutive seasons as an assistant coach with New England, including six seasons as the team's defensive coordinator (2012-17).

On Monday's "The Herd," Colin Cowherd criticized the potential move, pointing to the fact that Patricia doesn't have any recent or substantial offensive experience and that Belichick would be moving into a role that is requiring more of its coordinators than ever before.

"[Belichick] was 0-2 last year to Tua [Tagovailoa]. … He was embarrassed by the [Buffalo] Bills in division. He's got two of his kids now on the staff. A defensive coordinator is becoming an offensive coordinator, and as Belichick has had increasing power, their drafts are embarrassing. This year was a mess. I have general managers on my phone who I trust, and they were like, ‘That’s as weird a draft as we've ever seen.' … The Patriots draft poorly, and Belichick controls it. … I'm being kind here. They feel like they've lost their way."

"Matt Patricia as your offensive coordinator? There's never been higher-end offensive guys in this league. It's the smartest the league's ever been on offense, and you're just gonna move a defensive guy in there? Are you watching your offense? Boy, it's coming downhill fast."

Patricia spent one season as a Patriots offensive assistant in 2004 and one as the assistant offensive line coach in 2005 before spending four seasons as the linebackers coach (2006-10). He served as the Patriots' safeties coach in 2011 prior to transitioning to defensive coordinator in 2012. He left New England in 2017 for a two-year stint as the Detroit Lions' head coach (2018-20).

The other candidates to call plays are Patriots offensive assistant Joe Judge and Belichick himself.

The Patriots finished second in the AFC East last season with a 10-7 record behind a defense that allowed the fourth-fewest total yards per game (310.8) behind the Bills, Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers.

On the other side, New England had the 15th most offensive yards per game (353.4) en route to losing in the wild-card round of the postseason for the second time in three years.