NFL viewers grumbled over the New Endlgnad Patriots’ offensive struggles throughout the season, but the situation was reportedly even more dysfunctional than outsiders realized.
According to Andrew Callahan and Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald, head coach Bill Belichick “phased out” assistant coach Joe Judge during the season. They reportedly had shouting matches during practice.
“As [Matt] Patricia came under outside fire as the face of the offense, Judge drew increasing criticism from within,” the Boston Herald report said. “Belichick would blast him in practice, and it wasn’t uncommon for Judge and Jones to trade profanity-laced outbursts.”
Judge returned to New England as a quarterbacks coach after two tumultuous seasons as the New York Giants head coach. One source said the 41-year-old “rubbed people the wrong way” by “trying to project like he was the guy” at meetings.
Belichick might not have been the only person fed up with Judge. Mac Jones’ trust in Judge “was effectively non-existent,” with one source saying the quarterback “didn’t like him … at all.”
Other coaches also corrected Judge’a guidance when he “coached across positions in practice.”
The Patriots hope to turn the page after hiring Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Judge’s future with the team could be in jeopardy.