The New England Patriots have their guy on special teams.
On Wednesday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the team was hiring former Los Angeles Rams assistant Jeremy Springer as their new special teams coordinator. This move would officially bring an end to Cameron Achord’s run in New England.
Springer cut his teeth mostly on the collegiate level with previous work at UTEP, Texas A&M, Arizona and Marshall. While in Los Angeles, he worked as a special teams assistant coach under Sean McVay.
The Rams were ranked dead last on special teams by DVOA this season, which obviously isn’t a good look. However, former Rams kicker Matt Gay was a 93.3 percent field goal kicker under his watch in 2022.
The #Patriots are hiring #Rams assistant special teams coach Jeremy Springer as their new special teams coach under Jerod Mayo, source said. A rising young coach and another Sean McVay disciple.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2024
There’s hope for some carryover with Patriots kicker Chad Ryland, who struggled in his rookie season.
But then again, Gay kicked for 94.1 percent in the previous year. So this could have been a case of Gay simply being really good at his job.
The point is Springer will have a lot to prove with this promotion. Like Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, he’s a young coach looking to make his mark with his first major opportunity.
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