Former Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia will return to the New England Patriots to assist the team’s coaching staff, a person familiar with the situation told the Free Press on Friday.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the Patriots had not announced the hiring yet.
The Boston Globe first reported the hiring Friday and said Patricia “will assist the Patriots coaching staff in a variety of roles.”
The Globe also reported that Evan Rothstein, a behind-the-scenes research assistant for the Lions since 2012, also will join the Patriots. COVID-related problems pressed Rothstein into emergency coaching duty as the defensive play-caller for the 47-7 loss Dec. 26 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
[ Dan Campbell: Kneecaps speech ‘was for our players and for our community’ ]
Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were fired Nov. 28 after a Week 12 loss to the Houston Texans that dropped the Lions’ record to 4-7 and virtually eliminated them from the playoff race.
Patricia had a 13-29-1 record as a first-time head coach of the Lions.
Before joining the Lions in 2018, Patricia had a 14-season tenure in New England. He started as a Patriots coaching assistant in 2004 and eventually rose to become the defensive coordinator and one of coach Bill Belichick’s most trusted lieutenants.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.