The Patriots’ 2026 coaching staff that led the team to a Super Bowl appearance has remained incredibly intact from last season. Consistency from a veteran coaching staff can only lead to improved play. Ten teams in the NFL have new Head Coaches and staff. The fact that the Patriots were able to retain nearly all their staff from last year is a huge plus for the development of the team.
Staff Overview
The 2026 staff reflects a mix of continuity and fresh perspectives, with several internal promotions ensuring experience is retained while new hires bring additional expertise. The coaching team is structured to support both player development and strategic game planning, aiming to build on the Patriots’ strong performance under Mike Vrabel’s leadership
This staff configuration positions the Patriots to maintain competitive performance in the 2026 NFL season, leveraging both veteran coaching experience and new analytical support.
Head Coach
Mike Vrabel – Serving as head coach, Vrabel joined the Patriots ahead of the 2025 season after a successful tenure with the Tennessee Titans, where he compiled a 52-41 record and three playoff appearances. He previously worked as a linebackers coach and defensive coordinator in the NFL and at Ohio State. Vrabel was selected Coach of the Year last season. PFF has Vrabel ranked #9 in the league and ESPN #8. That is a joke! They have pushed him down in the rankings because of his off-field affair with Diana Russini, and it has nothing to do with the job he has done on the field with both New England and his time at Tennessee. I know the Patriots had an easy schedule last season and they benefitted from an injury to Bo Nix to reach the Super Bowl, but that’s not Vrabel’s fault.
Assistant Head Coach
Terrell Williams – Williams missed considerable time last season while dealing with health issues. This opened the door for Zak Kuhr to rise up and assume the Defensive Coordinator role. Williams was still involved with the team while he recuperated and eventually joined the team by year’s end. Kuhr was retained by promoting him to the Defensive Coordinator’s role full-time, and Williams received a bump to Assistant Head Coach. In the off-season, Williams attended an NFL-sponsored seminar for potential minority coaches looking to become Head Coaches in the NFL. Williams is highly regarded as an Assistant coach in the NFL.
Offense
Offensive Coordinator
Josh McDaniels – A second season with Drake Maye has many Patriots fans excited. McDaniels is considered one of the better Offensive minds in the game. 2026 will be the first season that Maye has consecutive seasons with the same coordinator since his Junior year of High School. Twenty-One teams have new Offensive coordinators in the NFL this season. That is close to 66% turnover from last season. Having McDaniels return is a bonus for the Patriots.
Tight Ends / Passing Game Coordinator
Thomas Brown – I am shocked that Brown didn’t even get a sniff as an Offensive Coordinator this year with all the turnover at that position. He was the Bears’ Passing Game Coordinator and eventually became their interim head Coach in 2024. Brown was the offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers in 2023 and assumed play-calling duties mid-season. In a poll of players, Brown was named one of the top offensive coordinators in the league by the NFLPA. Getting him as the Passing Game coordinator was a coup for Mike Vrabel. Retaining him was a stroke of good luck.
Running Backs Coach
Tony Dews – Dews was the Running Backs Coach for the New York Jets in 2024. Prior to New York, Dews spent six seasons at the Tennessee Titans under Mike Vrabel, coaching running backs from 2018-22 before transitioning to tight ends for 2023.
Wide Receivers Coach
Todd Downing – He came to New England in 2025 after two seasons with the New York Jets as Passing Game Coordinator, adding the title of Quarterbacks Coach in 2024. He spent four seasons in Tennessee as Tight Ends coach (2019-20) and offensive coordinator (2021-22) under Mike Vrabel. He has a total of three years of experience as Offensive Coordinator, having served in the role for the first time with the Oakland Raiders in 2017.
Quarterbacks Coach
Ashton Grant – Ashton Grant joined the Patriots in 2025 as Quarterbacks Coach. He came to New England after serving five seasons in various offensive roles at the Cleveland Browns and one season at Holy Cross. Most recently, Grant served as offensive assistant/quarterbacks in Cleveland from 2023-24. He worked on the Browns’ offensive staff alongside Mike Vrabel last season. I had the pleasure of watching Ashton Grant play WR at D II Assumption College in Worcester. He played for Bob Chesney, the new Head Coach at UCLA, a rising star in the College ranks. Chesney gave him his 1st college coaching position while at Holy Cross.
Offensive Line Coach
Doug Marrone – The 61-year-old veteran Offensive Line Coach brings a plethora of experience to the position. He was drafted by the Rams in 1986 and played parts of 7 seasons in the NFL and finished in 1991and 1992 with the London Monarchs of the World League of American Football. He joined Vrabel’s staff last season and was credited with stabilizing the line despite having to start two rookies next to each other. That was only the second time rookies have started next to each other since the 2016 season. It didn’t work out then, and it was a disaster in the Super Bowl.
Assistant Offensive Line
Jason Houghtaling – He joined the Patriots under Vrabel last season. Houghtailing previously served as assistant offensive line coach for the Chicago Bears in 2024. Prior to Chicago, Houghtaling spent three seasons with the Tennessee Titans on Mike Vrabel’s staff as assistant offensive line coach (2021-22) and offensive line coach (2023).
Prior to his role with the Titans, Houghtaling spent 15 years in the college ranks, mostly with Wagner College. He was Wagner’s head coach from 2015-19, coaching 28 All-Northeast Conference selections. He also served two stints as offensive coordinator (2011-12, 2014), helping Wagner total a 16-6 NEC record with two league titles throughout his three seasons in the position.
Jonathan Decoster – Added as assistant offensive line coach, supporting line development and technique. DeCoster served as the Florida Gators Assistant Offensive Line coach for the last two seasons before bolting to take the same position with the Patriots this season. With a resume featuring over ten years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and professional levels, Decoster arrived in Gainesville from the Cleveland Browns organization, where he was an offensive assistant. Decoster joined the Browns in 2021 after spending the previous eight years coaching at the college level. He spent his first season with the club as an Offensive Quality Control coach before being named an Offensive Assistant in 2022.
Offensive Assistant
Chuckie Keeton – Keeton joined the Patriots staff last season as an Offensive Assistant after spending the 2024 season as an Offensive Assistant for the Seattle Seahawks. Prior to Seattle, Keeton spent eight years in the college ranks.
Riley Larkin – Larkin joined the Patriots last season as an Offensive Assistant after spending the 2024 season as Assistant Quarterbacks Coach at Ohio State University. Mike Vrabel knows Larkin from his connections with the Ohio State program as an Alumni and former coach. Larkin spent two years at Ohio State, first serving as an Offensive Assistant in 2023 before being promoted to Assistant Quarterbacks Coach in 2024. Prior to Ohio State, Larkin was an Offensive Analyst at Middle Tennessee State in 2022, his first college coaching position. He spent three years coaching quarterbacks at the high school level.
Offensive Analyst
Charles London– The 50-year-old London is a new hire as Offensive Analyst this season. He has 21 years of coaching experience before joining the Patriots, 5 years in College football, and 16 years in the NFL. He joins the Patriots after being the New York Jets Quarterbacks Coach in 2025.
Defense
Defensive Coordinator
Zak Kuhr – After the job Kuhr did last season, I was glad to see that he was given the Defensive Coordinator’s job full-time. He deserved the promotion. Zak Kuhr joined the Patriots in 2025 initially as Inside Linebackers Coach before he took over as Defensive Coordinator when Terrell Williams was felled by his illness. He came to New England after spending four seasons (2020-23) in various roles under head coach Mike Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans. Most recently, Kuhr served as a defensive assistant with the New York Giants last season.
Defensive Analyst
Shane Bowen – Bowen is a good friend of Mike Vrabel. He was released as Defensive Coordinator of the Giants when Brian Daboll was let go. Giants’ loss is Patriots’ gain. He will take the place of former NFL Head Coach Ben McAdoo, who left the team this year.
Safeties
Scott Booker – Scott Booker joined the Patriots in 2025 as safeties coach after most recently serving as nickels/senior defensive assistant for the Buffalo Bills in 2024. Booker spent six seasons with the Tennessee Titans under Mike Vrabel, serving as a defensive assistant in his first two years (2018-19) and as safeties coach for his final four seasons (2020-23). Under Booker’s tutelage, S Kevin Byard led the Titans in tackles for three consecutive seasons (2020-22). Byard and Booker will be reunited this season.
Inside Linebackers
Vinny DePalma – DePalma served as a Defensive Assistant last season but assumed the Inside Linebackers coaching responsibilities when Zak Kuhr took over for Terrell Williams. He did a remarkable job and was promoted to the position full-time this year. He originally joined New England in 2024 and was one of a few holdovers from the Jerod Mayo staff. Following a six-year college career playing linebacker at Boston College, DePalma chose not to try to extend his playing career but immediately jumped into coaching with an opportunity from the Patriots. He had made quite the impression in two short years.
Defensive Assistant
BJ Edmonds– Joined as defensive assistant, assisting with defensive drills and player development. He began his coaching career in 2020 at Kansas Wesleyan University. He then moved on to Utah State University in 2021 and served three seasons in various roles. This included jobs as a defensive recruiting analyst and a defensive graduate assistant.
He then spent two seasons at Duke in 2024-2025 before taking on the running backs coaching role for a short time at Southern Mississippi.
Cornerbacks
Justin Hamilton – Hamilton joined the Patriots in 2025 as cornerbacks coach. He comes to New England after serving two seasons in the NFL. Hamilton spent the 2023 season as a defensive quality control coach in Tennessee under Mike Vrabel. Most recently, Hamilton served as assistant defensive backs coach in Indianapolis last season. In 2023, Hamilton assisted the Titans in leading the NFL in opponent red zone touchdown scoring percentage (37.7). Prior to making the jump to the NFL, Hamilton spent four years in several roles at Virginia Tech,
Defensive Line
Clinton McMillan – McMillan joined the Patriots in 2025 as defensive line coach. He came to New England after serving four seasons in various defensive roles at the Tennessee Titans. Most recently, McMillan served as assistant defensive line/pass rush specialist in Tennessee in 2024.
Prior to Tennessee, McMillan spent one season as a senior analyst at Florida State in 2020,
From 2017-19, McMillan served as the defensive run game coordinator and co-special teams coordinator at the University of Tennessee-Martin.
Defensive Assistant
Kevin Richardson – Richardson joined the Patriots as a defensive assistant in 2025 following two seasons at Illinois as an assistant defensive backs coach. Prior to Illinois, he served as the defensive backs coach for Long Island University in 2022.
Outside Linebackers / Pass Rush Specialist
Mike Smith – Mike Smith joined the Patriots in 2025 as the Outside Linebackers/Pass Rush Specialist coach. He comes to New England after serving two seasons as the outside linebackers/pass rush specialist with the Minnesota Vikings (2022-23). Smith enters his 10th year of coaching at the NFL level after stints with the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Jets in various defensive capacities.
Special Teams
Special Teams Coordinator
Jeremy Springer – Jeremy Springer enters his third season in New England as special teams coordinator after spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a special teams assistant with the Los Angeles Rams.
Under Springer, S Brenden Schooler was named to the Associated Press All-Pro First Team honor of his career.
Congratulations to Springer on his engagement to Kayla Burton of NBC Boston, Daughter of WBZ Sports Anchor Steve Burton, and Granddaughter of Ron Burton, the 1st Draft Pick of the Boston Patriots.
Assistant Special Teams
Tom Quinn – Tom Quinn enters his third season as assistant special teams coach with the New England Patriots after joining the team in 2024. He is another holdover from the mayo staff. Before joining the Patriots staff, Quinn spent time in various roles with the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants. Quinn spent the 2023 season with the Tennessee Titans on Mike Vrabel’s staff, beginning the year as a special teams assistant before taking over as special teams coordinator for the final six games of the season.
Strength and Conditioning
Director of Sports Performance
Frank Piraino – Piraino joined the Patriots in 2025 as director of sports performance. He spent the 2024 season with the New York Giants, where he served as the director of strength and conditioning. Prior to his time in New York, Piraino spent five seasons (2019-23) at the Tennessee Titans as director of sports performance and a strength and conditioning coach under head coach Mike Vrabel.
Strength and Conditioning
Brandon Martuccio – 2026 will be his 7th year as a full-time Strength & Conditioning Coach. He began at Washington & Jefferson College in 2018 and has since worked at Mississippi State University, for the Arizona Cardinals, Indiana State University, the University of Pittsburgh (full-time), Texas Tech University (full-time), Boston College (full-time), and currently for the New England Patriots.
Deron Mayo –Deron Mayo enters his third season as strength and conditioning coach and his eighth season with the New England Patriots in 2025. Mayo joined the organization in 2018 after playing linebacker for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League for six seasons. He leads the team’s year-round strength and conditioning program after attaining a master’s degree in high-performance sport from the University of Technology Sydney. Mayo played linebacker for six seasons in the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders. He is the brother of Jerod Mayo and is another holdover from that staff.
Brian McDonough – McDonough enters his third season with the Patriots as a full-time assistant strength and conditioning coach. He began this role in 2024 after working with the team as a consultant for over 20 years. McDonough ran his own sports performance business for those 20 years.
Football Operations and Strategy
Vice President of Football Operations and Strategy
John Streicher – John “Stretch” Streicher joined the Patriots in 2025 as vice president of football operations and strategy. Streicher came to the Patriots after spending a year working under Sean McVay at the Los Angeles Rams as the game management coordinator. Streicher was a part of a Rams team that upset the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round of the 2024 NFL Playoffs.
Prior to his year at the Rams, Streicher spent six seasons at the Tennessee Titans in various roles on Mike Vrabel’s staff from 2018-23. He began in Tennessee as special assistant to the head coach. Streicher was then promoted to coordinator of football development before becoming the Titans’ Director of Football Administration in 2023.
Streicher is often compared to Ernie Adams in what he does for Mike Vrabel.
Director of Coaching Analytics
Ekene Olekanma – The Patriots hired Olekanma in 2025, poaching the former 49ers and Ravens staffer as their new director of coaching analytics. He was previously San Francisco’s football research and devleopment coordinator.
Olekanma has a deep scientific background, in addition to football. He earned a master’s degree in data science from DePaul University in 2021, and prior to that a degree in bioengineering and biomedical engineering at Toledo. He also played linebacker for the Rockets from 2015-18.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
