Category: Patriots News

Patriots’ rising star cornerback gets All-Pro honors

Christian Gonzalez gets his first All-Pro nod

New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez was named to the Associated Press’ Second-Team All-Pro Team on Friday.

Gonzalez had a stellar season in his second year with the Patriots, recording 59 tackles, two interceptions, a fumble recovery and 11 pass deflections. He is one of two Patriots players to earn the All-Pro honor.

Special teams ace and safety Brenden Schooler also made the list as a First-Team All-Pro. It is worth noting that Gonzalez was somehow snubbed in the Pro Bowl voting, despite being one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in 2024.

He still came away with one of the highest individual honors for a player.

Gonzalez wanted to be a Pro Bowler, but he was clear in his message that making the All-Pro team was his main goal. He accomplished that goal this season, and he will likely set the bar even higher in 2025.

The Oregon product was thought to be one of the biggest steals of the 2023 NFL draft for going 17th overall to the Patriots. This All-Pro recognition proves that belief to be true.

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Multiple Patriots personnel ‘disapproved’ of Rooney Rule handling

People in New England reportedly “disapproved” of the team’s handling of the Rooney Rule in the head coach search

The New England Patriots received significant backlash for their handling of the Rooney Rule in their ongoing search for a new head coach.

On Tuesday, the team satisfied the rule that required them to have at least two external interviews with minority candidates by interviewing Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton. Both candidates haven’t coached since 2022 and likely aren’t serious options for the Patriots’ head coaching job.

Per a report from Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed, multiple people in the building “disapproved” of owner Robert Kraft’s handling of the Rooney Rule.

Rather than going through an extensive search, the Patriots seemingly checked off two minority candidates to expedite the process of getting to the coach they really want, who most believe to be former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Callahan and Kyed wrote:

Multiple team sources disapproved of ownership’s clear flouting of the Rooney Rule, disrespecting the process and declining to gather intel from external coaching candidates about how their organizations operate and their visions for how the Patriots could run.

“Wild,” one said. “Just wild.”

The Patriots requested an interview with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, but Glenn denied the request and instead chose to interview with other teams.

A dark cloud of drama and disappointment has continued to follow the Patriots since the fall of the dynasty. However, there’s hope that the organization can find new life with a promising young quarterback in Drake Maye and its eventual new head coach.

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Patriots special teams star earns second straight All-Pro nod

Brenden Schooler is a First-Team All-Pro

New England Patriots special teams ace Brenden Schooler was named to the First-Team All-Pro team. The NFLPA announced the offense, defense and special teams roster on Wednesday.

This comes a week after Schooler received his first Pro Bowl nod in the NFL. Like the Pro Bowl, Schooler was the only player on the Patriots roster to receive the First-Team All-Pro accolade.

It’s no surprise considering how well he performed this season. He finished with 13 tackles and two sacks on the year. The Patriots found ways to incorporate him more on defense than normal, and he succeeded in the expanded role.

Schooler has come a long way in a short time considering he was an undrafted rookie out of college. Now, two years later, he’s being recognized as one of the best players in the league.

The Patriots have benefitted greatly from going from arguably the greatest special teams player of all time with Matthew Slater to a fast-rising star in Schooler.

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Report: Patriots request interview with playoff-bound assistant

The Patriots have reportedly requested to interview Lions DC Aaron Glenn

The New England Patriots have submitted a request to interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. This was reported by NFL insider Albert Breer on Wednesday.

Glenn has been the defensive coordinator for the Lions since 2021. He was previously the defensive backs coach for the New Orleans Saints and the Cleveland Browns.

The Lions had a stellar defense in 2024. They allowed the second-lowest opponent completion percentage average at 61.1 yards per game. They only allowed 18 passing touchdowns on the season and recorded 16 takeaways. The Lions’ defense was stellar in defending the run as well. They gave up an average of only 98.4 rushing yards per game.

This would be the second Lions assistant coach to be interviewed by the Patriots. The organization has reportedly scheduled an interview with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday.

Glenn would undoubtedly help solidify a Patriots defensive unit that ranked in the bottom half of the NFL in 2024. A defensive-minded coach with Glenn’s success and experience could get the unit back on track.

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Ben Johnson’s interview date for Patriots head coaching job revealed

The Patriots are scheduled to interview Lions OC Ben Johnson on Friday

Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is scheduled to interview on Friday for the New England Patriots head coaching job. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news on Wednesday.

Johnson’s offense in Detroit was the No. 1-ranked scoring offense in the league in 2024. The Lions averaged 33.2 points per game and 409.5 total yards per game. Only the Baltimore Ravens had a high yardage total.

Johnson worked his way up from offensive quality control coach to offensive coordinator for the Lions in 2022. It was reported earlier in the week that the Patriots had planned to interview Johnson. They are also set to interview Mike Vrabel on Thursday.

Both candidates are believed to be the top two available options in the 2025 coaching cycle.

The Patriots have mostly hired defensive-minded coaches. So Johnson would be a change from that line of thinking. His offensive background could be a strong fit for the continued development of Drake Maye and the overall offensive unit.

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Tom Brady reportedly eyeing Bill Belichick as Raiders head coach

Will “Darth Hoodie” take over the “Death Star” in Las Vegas?

The greatest reunion of the century could be in the workings with former New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reportedly reaching out to coach Bill Belichick for the vacant head coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brady, who is a minority owner for the Raiders, is currently looking to help the team find a replacement for one-and-done coach Antonio Pierce. The Raiders made the decision to fire Pierce on Tuesday, setting the stage for a grueling coaching search for the team.

Belichick accepted a head coaching job with North Carolina back in December. According to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, the legendary coach’s contract includes a $10 million buyout clause, if he leaves before June 1.

Pelissero wrote:

Sources say Brady believes the situation in Las Vegas requires a coach of Belichick’s expertise and stature to establish a sustainable winning program.

It isn’t only Brady and the Raiders eyeing Belichick from afar. Per Pelissero, multiple teams have gauged the interest Belichick would have to “reconsider his move to college football.”

Belichick is only 15 wins away from surpassing legendary coach Don Shula as the winningest coach in NFL history. He could chip away at that record and possibly even surpass it on another NFL team.

But the timing would be tough considering he’s already building his staff and preparing for his first coaching venture in college football. There are six head coaching vacancies in the NFL right now.

If Belichick wanted to return to the league, it’s hard to envision any of those teams, outside of the Patriots, saying no.

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Patriots QB Joe Milton III nominated for Rookie of the Week award

Patriots QB Joe Milton III nominated for Rookie of the Week

New England Patriots quarterback Joe Milton III was nominated for the Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week award for Week 18.

Milton joined a group of nominees that also includes Nate Wiggins of the Baltimore Ravens, Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, Mike Sainristil of the Washington Commanders, Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Bucky Irving of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Milton played well in his first appearance in an NFL regular season game. He tallied 241 passing yards and a touchdown on 22-of-29 passing attempts. A 48-yard pass was his longest of the afternoon. He also rushed for a touchdown in the game.

Milton was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft. He came to New England from Tennessee, where he gained a reputation for his incredible athleticism and strong arm.

Those traits carried over in a stellar performance on the NFL stage. Milton showed his potential, and it could ultimately lead to a bigger role in the quarterback room moving forward.

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Brian Flores’ four-word answer on interviewing for Patriots job

Brian Flores would be open to coming back to New England

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores commented on the New England Patriots head coach opening.

Flores got his coaching start with the Patriots organization as a special teams assistant. He worked his way up the ladder, becoming the linebackers coach and defensive play-caller. After winning Super Bowl LIII with New England, Flores then went on to serve as the head coach for the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021.

Like Mike Vrabel, he has deep ties with the Patriots organization. There’s also a clear link to the community as well considering he went to Boston College.

“I would say yes,” Flores said, when asked if he was interested in interviewing for the Patriots head coaching job, via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. “…It’s not up to me.”

Flores would undoubtedly bring a strong defensive mind to a Patriots team that greatly regressed in that area last season. More than anything, he’d bring experience to a coaching staff that lacked enough of it in 2024.

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Mike Vrabel’s interview date for Patriots head coaching job revealed

The Patriots will reportedly interview Mike Vrabel on Thursday

The New England Patriots plan to interview Mike Vrabel for their vacant head coach position on Thursday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

Vrabel was most recently a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns this past season. He was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-2023.

There are some deep ties for Vrabel in the Patriots organization. He made an impact on the team as a player that helped them win three Super Bowls. He also was a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in 2007.

He began his coaching career as the linebackers coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2011 and worked his way up the ladder. He was a defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans in 2017 before taking the Titans job.

Vrabel has been linked to the Patriots since the team announced the firing of former coach Jerod Mayo on Sunday. The former linebacker is thought to be one of the top candidates for the job in this cycle.

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Report: Patriots DC DeMarcus Covington interviewing with 2025 opponent

DeMarcus Covington reportedly plans to interview for the Bengals’ defensive coordinator job

New England Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington is reportedly planning on interviewing for the defensive coordinator job with the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported the news on Tuesday.

Covington was given permission to seek opportunities outside of New England with the team currently undergoing a new head coach search. There is no certainty that the new coach will keep the current staff around after accepting the job.

So Covington is clearly getting ahead of the situation by looking for other coaching jobs.

He had a rough first year as the Patriots’ defensive coordinator in 2024. The unit went from being a top-10 defense under Bill Belichick in 2023 to ranking in the bottom half of the NFL. That slump surprisingly happened after the Patriots managed to keep nearly all of the same defensive players from the previous year.

With that said, Covington did deal with some serious adversity with key players, such as Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Jabrill Peppers missing most of the season.

He’s a talented young coach with the ability to land on his feet no matter how the head coaching situation turns out in New England. It’s important to note that the Patriots are slated to face the Bengals on the road at some point in the 2025 season.

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