FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Less than 24 hours after officially being named defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia has already moved past talk of job titles.
“Our jobs and our responsibilities on defense, they are what they are, it’s not really anything about titles," said Patricia, who was the play-caller on game-day last year but without the title. "It’s just everyone trying to do their job. It doesn’t have anything to do with that."
One advantage Patricia has in assuming his new title is a mentor in Bill Belichick. When asked about what influence the 13th-year Patriots head coach has had on him, Patricia had no shortage of praise to pass along.
“I can’t even really begin to speak on it, what he means to me and what he’s helped me learn. Football in general, regardless of everything else … Obviously Coach Belichick is a great example for anyone to be able to follow and study from and learn, and [I] try to just do the best of my ability to take all that information in.”
As for how Patricia will approach his new position, which will involve working with each of the position groups on defense, he doesn’t foresee much in the way of change.
“As far as for myself, it will be very similar to how we operate and how we’ve been operating for a while. I don’t really see anything changing, we’re going to go out and coach the defense up with all the coaches that are out here and try to get those guys out on the field to perform to the best of their ability."