NE Patriot Coaches - None played in the NFL

[SalemPats]

I find it interesting that no one from our coaching staff played in the NFL. Most if not all played college somewhere.

I had a discussion with some friends about it, i personally think it has to do with the fact that these guys put in long hours and the motivation to start from the bottom isn't there for the 'millionaire' players.

 

[ALP]

I don't think it has to do w/ money/motivation, I think if BB ended up playing in NFL, he wouldn't be any less of a coach now

i think many people may incorrectly assume that "ohh you played in the NFL? must mean you know how to coach in the NFL"

in reality, and this is in all aspects of life, if you're open to inputs, you don't need specific experience to succeed at something, you can use similar experiences and apply them to that specific niche

i'd say its a mark of successful individuals and great leaders in general not just football related

(your logic would also mean that BB would grow worse as his motivation wanes due to the millions he gets paid every year, and I think we all agree thats not the case)

...but that's a really cool point i never realized before

 

[Ring 6]

I find it interesting that no one from our coaching staff played in the NFL. Most if not all played college somewhere.

I had a discussion with some friends about it, i personally think it has to do with the fact that these guys put in long hours and the motivation to start from the bottom isn't there for the 'millionaire' players.

Coaching is a very different skillset than playing.
Many coaches start coaching as graduate assistants and by the time they are 32, when a lot of NFL players' careers are over, they have had 10 years coaching experience to learn, learn from many other coaches, and build a resume.
Players start at the bottom after their career is over, so they start behind the BBs, McDaniels, and Matty P's of the world.

 

[Ring 6]

I don't think it has to do w/ money/motivation, I think if BB ended up playing in NFL, he wouldn't be any less of a coach now

i think many people may incorrectly assume that "ohh you played in the NFL? must mean you know how to coach in the NFL"

in reality, and this is in all aspects of life, if you're open to inputs, you don't need specific experience to succeed at something, you can use similar experiences and apply them to that specific niche

i'd say its a mark of successful individuals and great leaders in general not just football related

(your logic would also mean that BB would grow worse as his motivation wanes due to the millions he gets paid every year, and I think we all agree thats not the case)

...but that's a really cool point i never realized before

Also, regarding the money angle, the majority of NFL players end up broke.

 

[oldrover]

I find it interesting that no one from our coaching staff played in the NFL.

Imagine the team whose coaching staff looks like this...

 

[RobertWeathers]

Ray Ventrone is Ass. ST coach. He played in the NFL and was cut and re-signed approx 4,344 times.

 

[patfanken]

B

Ray Ventrone is Ass. ST coach. He played in the NFL and was cut and re-signed approx 4,344 times.

It should be noted that Ray spent most of his short career as a special teams player, and that MIGHT be the best place for an NFL coach to spring from since ST's is where players from both the offense and defense will mingle.

It is also where a lot of the best HC's come from, since they are guys who have to deal with players from the entire team and deal with other coaches on both sides of the ball. BB and Harbaugh are the 2 prime examples I can think of off the top of my head.

BB often likes to have his assistants have experience on both sides of the ball. Few remember that Matty P first job as a position assistant was as an OL assistant to Dante. Now it seems that BB will hirer young coaches first to be "quality control coaches". There they learn the team's language, ethos, and what BB is looking for from his players, and how to recognize it. After a couple of years of that, they get to work with players as assistants to the assistants. Only THEN, if they show they can relate and have strong teaching and communications ability do they get a specific responsibility like Assistent DB coach.

So it's really a 3-4 year apprenticeship of hard work and studying just get past being an anonymous gofer/grunt. Someone who has had the taste of NFL glory, even at its lowest levels isn't likely to have the patience to take that on. Not when there is the recognition and money available from the media hordes. BB's son may have gotten his foot in the door because he's BB's son, but since then his slow rise up the Pats coaching food chain has been earned.

BB's teams generally have the reputation of being well coached and prepared. With THAT in mind it could be opined, that BB's best coaching job isn't with his players, but with his coaches.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Ray Ventrone is Ass. ST coach. He played in the NFL and was cut and re-signed approx 4,344 times.

That was his brother Ross.

 

[Mike the Brit]

B
Few remember that Matty P first job as a position assistant was as an OL assistant to Dante. Now it seems that BB will hirer young coaches first to be "quality control coaches".

And that McDaniels started as a defensive assistant/defensive backs coach.

 

[BradyFTW!]

That was his brother Ross.

It was both of them, seems to be a family thing.

 

[SVN]

Pepper Johnson was one.

 

[RobertWeathers]

That was his brother Ross.

Yep. My bad.

 

[Ross12]

That was his brother Ross.

Yeah that guy sucked!

 

[meatface]

Pepper Johnson was one.

Several former coaches were