New England Patriots

Report: Patriots lure longtime OL coach Scarnecchia out of retirement

Published Feb. 16, 2016 6:46 p.m. ET

foxsports

The New England Patriots apparently have succeeded in luring longtime offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia out of retirement.

Scarnecchia is returning after a two-year hiatus to take over his previous job with the Patriots, according to a report by ESPN's Adam Caplan.

#Patriots re-hired Dante Scarnecchia as OL coach, source confirmed.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) February 16, 2016

The 68-year-old Scarnecchia will replace Dave DeGuglielmo, who was fired one day after quarterback Tom Brady was sacked four times and absorbed 20 hits in a 20-18 loss to Denver in the AFC Championship Game.

Before he called it quits following the 2013 season, Scarnecchia spent all but two seasons of his 32-year NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Patriots.

Bill Belichick promoted Scarnecchia to assistant head coach/offensive line coach upon his arrival in New England in 2000. Scarnecchia, an assistant with the Patriots from 1982-88, left to spend two seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before returning to New England in 1991.