After serving as the New England Patriots’ offensive playcaller and de facto offensive coordinator in 2022, Matt Patricia was stripped of those duties but retained as an internal advisor. The latest news on the former Detroit Lions head coach isn’t promising though.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was asked if Patricia would be working for the team this coming season. Surprisingly, Belichick sounded unsure.
“Not sure,” Belichick said with his usual bluntness.
That’s about as close to a vote of no confidence that Bill Belichick is usually even capable of giving. For some, it’s a simple case of Belichick being a troll to the media he despises.
For many NFL fans though, it’s more than enough to confirm their suspicions – that Patricia is not going to be back in 2023:
W
— Alex (@Patsnation87) March 27, 2023
Hope not
— Marcus DPOY Smart🐐 (@cjb0511) March 27, 2023
Christmas came early https://t.co/qIhx0z7Mx8
— Quinn (@hotrod6166) March 27, 2023
Hopefully he gets hired somewhere. Just get him far away from Foxborough https://t.co/HG4SukO4Ey
— Danimals (@dtha_goat) March 27, 2023
Lunch lady position hasn’t opened up this offseason https://t.co/atMa4miZuQ
— Tony LoConte (@BradyDisciple) March 27, 2023
Matt Patricia was one of Bill Belichick’s top assistants between 2004 and 2017, rising to the position of defensive coordinator in 2012. He parlayed that into the head coaching job with the Detroit Lions, but was fired after 2.5 years and a 13-29-1 record.
Patricia promptly returned to the New England Patriots and was promoted to offensive playcaller in 2022 after Josh McDaniels left to take the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Is Matt Patricia really being fired, or is Bill Belichick just trolling all of us.