Today in Patriots History
Clive Rush hires John Mazur
February 6, 1969:
John Mazur is hired as offensive coordinator by new head coach
Clive Rush.
Mazur had been the offensive backfield coach for Buffalo since 1962, and prior to that was an assistant coach at Boston University. The Bills won three division titles and two AFL championships while he was their OC.
Rush would survive being electrocuted when he touched the microphone at his introductory press conference, but did not survive a 5-16 record in his 1½ seasons as head coach. Mazur didn't fare a whole lot better in his one and only opportunity as HC at any level - resigning after suffering a 52-0 shutout to Miami - with a 9-21 coaching record.
Plymouth High School-football and basketball Notre Dame quarterback 1949-1951 Led Irish to National Championship in 1949 Assistant coach at Tulane 1955-1959, Marquette and Boston College 1962 joined Buffalo Bills as assistant coach As offensive coordinator helped Bills win 3 Division and 2 AFL...
www.luzernecountysportshalloffame.com
February 6, 2002:
The Patriots re-sign
Charlie Weis as their offensive coordinator.
Weis would remain in that position for three more seasons, with the Pats winning three super bowls during his five years in Foxborough.
February 6, 2004:
Patriots Transactions - Patriots.com
The New England Patriots named Nick Caserio the Director of Pro Personnel today. Caserio joined the Patriots personnel department in June of 2001, two years after graduating from John Carroll University. Caserio spent time as scout and as a coaching assistant during his three previous years with the Patriots.
Free Agents Signed:
FB Philip Crosby, Tennessee
OT Jack Fadule, Harvard
LB Justin Kurpeikis, Penn State
RB Malaefou Mackenzie, USC
RB Frank Moreau, Louisville
WR Marquise Walker, Michigan
Free Agents Signed and Allocated to NFL Europe
S Scott Farley, Williams
LB Lawrence Flugence, Texas Tech
CB Mike Hall, Illinois
S Jason Perry, North Carolina State
OT David Pruce, Buffalo
DL Buck Rasmussen, Nebraska-Omaha
Other Players Allocated to NFL Europe
QB Rohan Davey, LSU
WR Chas Gessner, Brown
G Jamil Soriano, Harvard
Pats sign 12; Belichick looking ahead - Patriots.com
Belichick also said the Patriots signed 12 players, assigned six to play in NFL Europe this spring and added that three players who finished the season in Patriots uniforms – quarterback Rohan Davey, wide receiver Chas Gessner and guard Jamil Soriano – also will play in Europe.
Davey's Europe plans were somewhat noteworthy given he'll be entering his third season. Belichick said both parties agreed on the course of action, which should benefit the young quarterback.
"There is no substitute for game experience," Belichick said when asked what he hoped Davey would get out of playing. "He hasn't gotten a lot of it in his two years here. He's gotten some in practice and in preseason games, but playing every day, practicing, preparing for games, game planning, game adjustments and those types of things he hasn't done in two year and this will be an opportunity for him to do those."
Of the 12 newcomers, four had previous experience with the organization. Linebacker Justin Kurpeikis spent a short stint on the practice squad last October while running back Frank Moreau, safety Scott Farley and defensive lineman Buck Rasmussen all were in camp last summer.
That was the extent of the roster information Belichick was willing to divulge. The coach wouldn't comment on the pending decision on running back Antowain Smith's $500,000 roster bonus, which would need to be picked up by Sunday or Smith would become a free agent.
February 6, 2015:
The New England Patriots signed 12 players to future contracts on Friday.
torontosun.com
The New England Patriots signed 12 players to future contracts on Friday.
In addition to signing the nine practice squad players to future contracts, the Patriots signed defensive lineman Antonio Johnson, linebacker Rufus Johnson and running back Dion Lewis.
Offensive lineman Chris Barker, defensive end Jake Bequette, quarterback Garrett Gilbert, defensive back Justin Green, offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann, wide receiver Jonathan Krause, linebacker Eric Martin, linebacker Deontae Skinner and defensive back Daxton Swanson all finished the season on New England's practice squad.
Antonio Johnson, 30, is a veteran of six NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (2008-2012) and Tennessee Titans (2013). The 6-foot-3, 328-pounder originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick by Tennessee. He has played in 83 NFL games with 52 starts and has accumulated 143 total tackles, 4 1/2 sacks and three passes defensed.
Rufus Johnson, 24, was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the sixth round of the 2014 draft. The 6-5, 272-pounder was released by the Saints prior to the start of the regular season.
Dion Lewis, 24, is a veteran of three NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (2011-2012) and Cleveland Browns (2013). The 5-8, 195-pounder entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick by Philadelphia in the 2011 draft.
February 6, 2018:
Josh McDaniels informs Indianapolis he will not become their head coach, opting to remain in New England.
www.pressherald.com
In an absolutely shocking turn of events, Josh McDaniels has spurned the Indianapolis Colts and will return to the New England Patriots as offensive coordinator.
www.forbes.com
In a move absolutely no one saw coming, Josh McDaniels has reportedly decided to turn down the Indianapolis Colts' head coaching job to return to the New England Patriots as offensive coordinator.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Colts announced that they had hired McDaniels to be their next head coach with a press conference being scheduled for the following day (
more on that here).
It had been a forgone conclusion that McDaniels would move on to the Colts once New England's season was over. Assistant coaches on his new staff in Indy were already in place. The only thing the two sides were waiting for was a contract to be signed on the dotted line.
Based on McDaniels decision to return to New England, speculation ramped up Tuesday night that head coach Bill Belichick was on the verge of retiring.
Outside of finances and his comfort level with Belichick, it's possible that McDaniels spurned Indianapolis due to the long-term status of franchise quarterback Andrew Luck. The former Pro Bowler missed this entire past season after undergoing shoulder surgery in January of 2017. Since then, the Colts have failed to handle this situation in a way that would normally define a well-run organization.
February 6, 2019:
Schiano replaces Brian Flores, who left New England to be the Dolphins head coach.
www.bostonglobe.com
As a coach at both the college and NFL level, Schiano has gained the respect of Bill Belichick.
www.boston.com
The Patriots will name Greg Schiano their new defensive coordinator, replacing Brian Flores, who was officially named head coach of the Miami Dolphins after Super Bowl LIII.
Schiano, 52, has been in the coaching profession for 30 years. After playing linebacker at Bucknell, where he was a three-year letterman before graduating in 1988, he served as a graduate assistant for Rutgers in 1989 and Penn State in 1990, before becoming an assistant coach with the Nittany Lions from 1991-95. That was followed by assistant coaching stints with the Chicago Bears and the University of Miami before landing his first head coaching job back at Rutgers in 2001.
Schiano left Rutgers after the 2011 season to coach in the NFL. In two seasons as head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he compiled an 11-21 record. The Buccaneers held joint practices with the Patriots in the preseason, where his friendship with Bill Belichick was evident.
Schiano drew the ire of opposing coaches in his short stint in the NFL. In his first season, he sent players to blitz when New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was trying to run out the clock with a kneel down. Some called trying to knock down Manning a dirty play, while Schiano defended the decision, citing his team’s four forced fumbles on similar plays at Rutgers.
“You don’t do that in this league,’’ said then-Giants coach Tom Coughlin. “You jeopardize not only them, you jeopardize the offensive line, you jeopardize the quarterback.’’
After going 7-9 in his first season, the Buccaneers went 4-12 in 2013, and Schiano was fired.
February 6, 2024:
The New England Patriots have signed former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Kawaan Baker to a futures contract.
985thesportshub.com
Baker, 25, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick out of South Alabama in 2021. He played two games for the New Orleans Saints his rookie year as a practice squad elevation, playing exclusively on special teams.
The next year Baker was suspended for violating the NFL’s PED policy, and later waived. He then had stints on the Packers’ and Eagles’ practice squads, before returning to the Saints late in the 2022 season. Baker spent last summer with the Saints in camp, then was released as part of final roster cuts.
There are now two wide receivers set to officially join the Patriots in March off futures contracts. Baker joins T.J. Luther, who was on the Patriots’ practice squad for part of last season. Other futures contracts the Patriots have right now include running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, offensive linemen Andrew Stueber and Michael Jordan, defensive linemen Trysten Hill and William Bradley-King, linebacker Joe Giles-Harris, and cornerback Azizi Hearn.
February 6, 2025:
The Patriots announced Mike Vrabel's coaching staff for 2024.
www.nbcsports.com
Vrabel, who spent six seasons as the head coach of the Titans, hired nine coaches who were with him in Tennessee. Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, running backs coach Tony Dews, assistant offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling, defensive line coach Clinton McMillan, linebackers coach Zak Kuhr, safeties coach Scott Booker, defensive backs coach Jason Hamilton, defensive assistant Milton Patterson and assistant special teams coach Tom Quinn have reunited with Vrabel.
Four coaches were rehired from Jerod Mayo staff, with special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler, Quinn and Ben McAdoo agreeing to stay. Mayo’s brother, Deron Mayo, also remains as the team’s strength and conditioning coach.
Analysis: Breaking Down the Patriots Full Coaching Staff for the 2025 Season - Patriots.com
| | | | Offense | Defense | STs/Other |
|---|
| OC - Josh McDaniels | DC - Terrell Williams | STC - Jeremy Springer | | PGC/TEs Coach - Thomas Brown | ILB Coach - Zak Kuhr | Asst. STs - Tom Quinn | | OL Coach - Doug Marrone | Safeties Coach - Scott Booker | VP of Football Ops and Strategy- John Streicher | | QB Coach - Ashton Grant | CB Coach - Justin Hamilton | Dir. of Sports Performance - Frank Piraino | | WR Coach - Todd Downing | DL Coach - Clint McMillan | Strength & Conditioning - Deron Mayo | | RB Coach - Tony Dews | OLB Coach - Mike Smith | Asst. Strength & Conditioning - Brian McDonough | | Asst. OL - Jason Houghtaling | Sr. Def Asst. - Ben McAdoo | | | Asst. OL - Robert Kugler | Def Asst. - Kevin Richardson | | | Off Asst. - Riley Larkin | Def Asst. Vinny DePalma | | | Off Asst. Chuckie Keeton | Def Asst. Milton Patterson | |
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