The Patriots’ quarterback room will look different in 2025.
“Collaboration” was a key phrase for the New England Patriots in the aftermath of their 2024 regime change, and it included developing the team’s quarterbacks. Besides offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, the team also trusted QB coach T.C. McCartney and his assistant, Evan Rothstein, as well as senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo to get the job done.
From the outside looking in, it appears they performed well. However, out of those four coaches only one has been confirmed as a returnee under new head coach Mike Vrabel: McAdoo will remain on staff for 2025, after previous reports that neither Van Pelt nor McCartney would be back (Rothstein’s status remains TBD at this point).
We already analyzed Van Pelt leaving here, so now let’s take a look at the other moves.
Ben McAdoo: Returning in 2025
No full overhaul: As noted above, the Patriots relied on several coaches to develop the team’s quarterbacks, particularly rookies Drake Maye and Joe Milton. With McAdoo staying put, there might be some carryover from 2024 to 2025, even though it remains to be seen how involved with the position he will really be next year. While time will tell whether his job will look similar — he helped with the quarterbacks, was involved in game planning, and ran pre-game meetings on offense last season — we know that he is the first offensive coach retained by Mike Vrabel.
Vote of confidence: Vrabel likely could have kept other members of the Patriots’ 2024 offensive staff, but he opted against doing that. McAdoo, together with special teams coaches Jeremy Springer and Tom Quinn, is an exception. If nothing else, it is a vote of confidence in the 47-year-old and what he can bring to the table in 2025 — be it as a mentor to Maye and Milton, or in another capacity.
Another head coach: With some exceptions — McAdoo being among them — the Patriots built a relatively inexperienced staff around Jerod Mayo last year. This year, and despite being led by a seasoned NFL coach in Mike Vrabel, the club is opting for a different approach. One number illustrates this clearly: five, which is how many former head coaches New England will have on its staff this upcoming season. Vrabel and McAdoo are among that group, as are offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, tight ends coach/pass game coordinator Thomas Brown and projected offensive line coach Doug Marrone.
T.C. McCartney: Leaving in 2025
No integral piece? Due to the approach taken by the Patriots last year, it is difficult to dissect which assistant coach was responsible for helping Drake Maye develop into a promising starting quarterback as a rookie. In Mike Vrabel’s eyes, apparently, the position coach — McCartney — was not as integral a piece to the operation as he initially appeared to be. Whether that is an accurate assessment will be seen.
Replacement in place: McCartney’s departure from New England was reported just one day after his presumptive replacement brought was in. Ashton Grant, an offensive assistant for the Cleveland Browns the last five years who overlapped with Mike Vrabel in 2024, will hold the quarterbacks coach title in 2025. In addition to him, the Patriots will also rely on offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel and pass game coordinator Thomas Brown to help bring Maye along. While the collaboration might be similar, the people involved, including T.C. McCartney, will not. The possible exception, of course, is BenMcAdoo.