Both coached their first season in New England last year.
The departures from last year’s coaching staff continued for the New England Patriots Monday morning.
Under Mike Vrabel, neither inside linebacker coach Dont’a Hightower or outside linebacker coach Drew Wilkins is set to return for a second year with the team, as first reported by MassLive’s Mark Daniels. The news comes after the Patriots have since hired two coaches in Zak Kuhr and Milton Patterson who have experience coaching linebackers.
In his first season as a coach, Hightower’s second-level linebackers struggled for the Patriots (while the loss of Ja’Whaun Bentley did not help). The three-time Super Bowl champion admitted the learning curve that came with transitioning to the coaching side of things but received positive reviews from his fellow linebacker coach.
“I think as a coach the sky’s the limit for him. This guy is going to be a head coach in the NFL,” Wilkins said of Hightower back in training camp. “He’s so smart. So gifted as a communicator. And understands the game at such a high level. … This is a superstar in the league that we’re all lucky to be around every day.”
Wilkins, meanwhile, was one of the more experienced coaches on staff last season after spending over 10 seasons with the Ravens and two with the Giants. Wilkins brought a new flavor to New England’s defense after working under Wink Martindale and will be a defensive coordinator at this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl.
In addition to Hightower and Wilkins, defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery joined the Cincinatti Bengals while defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington has interviewed elsewhere. Secondary coaches Mike Pellergino and Brian Belichick’s futures with the team are not yet known.