Only one New England Patriots coach has preceded Bill Belichick’s 20-year tenure.
Offensive midfield coach Ivan Fears, 66, has been on the Patriots staff since 1999 and, adding a two-year stint with the Patriots in 1991 and 1992, he coached a total of 24 seasons in New England. Patriots staff with retired offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. Belichick trained 22 seasons in New England.
And with the end of the 2020 season, it’s worth wondering if Fears was looking to come back another year. Scarnecchia has retired. Tom Brady’s gone. Other attendees leave en masse.
It seems to persist.
“Oh, I like it, ” said Fears. I love what we do I love the job. I love being with the players and participating in the implementation of this and its realization. It all comes down to: Do I move enough, physically able to do what I have to do on the field?And whenever I can do it, and enjoy it, I’d like to be there, without a doubt. I’m probably like some of those older players. You have to fire me. I’m not going to faint peacefully until you say it’s done. “
Fears and former Patriots open receiver Troy Brown, 49, either percentage of the name “midfield coach. “Brown also serves as a kick-off coach. But Brown is on the list of “assistant” coaches in the race halves. may soon begin to lead the group.
“I can see that a guy like Troy brought a lot more power to the organization when he was training, and that’s important,” Fears said. “This, to me, is important. And if I could take a look at it for a while and wait and be around, I’d love to.
“But it gets to the point where a young man has to control this practice. And a guy like Troy is — he’s exciting, plus he’s a gambler. He played this game. It has everything I can’t bring, and that’s the player’s point of experience, and that’s special. And fortunately, we are blessed because he is special as a person. I liked having him there. I’ll do it. I enjoyed it. “
Brown worked with open receivers as a freshman assistant last season when Cole Popovich, now an offensive line coach, an offensive midfield assistant coach. Popovich succeeded Scarnecchia and assisted Carmen Bricillo. Brown could replace Fears as soon as possible.
Fears has been one of the NFL’s most sensitive position coaches, as New England has an inexhaustible supply of quality ball carriers, from Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith to Corey Dillon, Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris, BenJarvus Green-Ellis. , Danny Woodhead, Stevan Ridley. , Shane Vereen, Brandon Bolden, LeGarrette Blount, James White, Dion, Rex.
Michel, Harris, un recruited rookie JJ Taylor and Bolden, who chose not to participate in the 2020 season, are under contract for the 2021 season, while White and Burkhead, who injured their knees, will be unrestricted loose agents.
Fears doesn’t know what the Patriots’ backroom will look like in 2021.
“It’s a little tricky to communicate about the long run because there are too many variables that I can’t and they can’t either,” Fears said. “We have to leave that out. We’ll see what it’s like when we put a bunch of guys together. Let’s do it. But what it’s going to be, let’s put it this way: I’d love for one of those guys to come back. That’s the most productive way, I can say any of them. Everyone, Oh, yes. It would do me good, but it’s not for me to call.
Harris and Michel will almost return as the Patriots’ most productive initial choices, and Fears has high hopes for Taylor, who took on the role of red blouse as a rookie.