It’s funny to think about now, but thanks to his proximity to Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, Joe Judge was once the head coach of an actual professional football team. For two seasons from 2020-2021, Judge was at the helm of the New York Giants. Crazy, I know! Predictably, Judge was in over his head, and the Giants were an abject disaster during that time.
Now entering his second season in his Patriots return, no one in their right mind is thinking of Judge through the prism of head coaching opportunities.
Honestly, based on a quote from Belichick about Judge after a Wednesday OTA practice, I’m not sure how the Patriots think of their “offensive assistant,” either.
Bill Belichick on Joe Judge's role this season:
"He’ll do whatever I ask him to do. Might change from time to time. He’ll be involved in a lot of things."
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) May 31, 2023
Huh. That “endorsement” could truly encompass anything. Judge could be involved in the offensive game plans (probably not the best idea), or he could be getting donuts for everyone for an early-week meeting. Who knows?
It’s worth noting that Judge seemingly received a demotion after the Patriots’ 2022 campaign. Last year, Judge was New England’s quarterbacks coach. You know, the same season where starter Mac Jones fell off with a terrible sophomore slump. It’s speculation, sure, but I would venture to guess that Jones having Judge as his primary on-field confidant partly played into his poor play.
This year, Judge is still on staff as an offensive assistant (while also helping with special teams?), and it looks like even Belichick isn’t sure what to do with him just yet. It’s not a position I would envy, that’s for sure.