Have No Fears? — Patriots May Consider Some Intriguing Options for Next Running Backs Coach

Should longtime running backs coach Ivan Fears retire, as expected, the New England Patriots may look to some familiar faces to fill his shoes.

The New England Patriots offensive coaching staff will look different in 2022. With offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels taking his talents to the Nevada desert, the Pats offense will have a new face calling the shots for the first time since 2012.

However, they may be searching for more than just a new ‘OC.’

As reported by ESPN’s MIke Reiss on Sunday, longtime Patriots’ running backs coach Ivan Fears is set to call it a career, after 31 seasons as an NFL assistant coach. Per Reiss’ report, “it should only be a matter of time” before Fears makes his official announcement.

The 67-year-old is the longest-tenured coach on the Patriots staff, having spent 25 years with the team both as a wide receivers coach and running backs coach. Fears joined the Patriots' coaching staff in 1991, serving as the team’s receivers coach under Dick MacPherson. He spent two seasons with the Patriots before moving on to coach the Chicago Bears' wide receivers starting in 1993. Fears rejoined New England’s coaching staff in 1999, once again assuring the role of wide receivers coach under Pete Carroll. After Carroll’s dismissal in 2000, Bill Belichick retained Fears’ services. In 2002, he was reassigned to running backs coach, a role he has held since that time.

Fears has been a part of all six Patriots’ Super Bowl Championship teams, providing his tutelage to some of the franchise’s most prolific running backs. That list includes Kevin Faulk, Corey Dillon, James White, and current Patriots’ feature back Damien Harris. In fact, Fears was spotted in an emotional postgame embrace with Harris, at the conclusion of the Pats season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the 2021 playoffs. In a touching moment between coach and player, Fears could be overheard telling his pupil that he has a ‘great career’ in front of him, further fueling retirement speculation.

Assuming he does retire, Fears’ longevity and success will be nearly impossible to duplicate.

During his tenure in Foxboro, New England has finished in the top 10 in offense 13 times in the last 19 seasons. The Patriots finished first in offense in the 2007, 2012 and 2017 seasons, with their running game playing a notable role in their success. In 2021, New England ranked eighth with 124.4 rushing yards per game, led by Harris and rookie Rhmaondre Stevenson. The duo are once again expected to be key components in the Patriots offensive game planning for the upcoming seasons.

As the Patriots attempt to assemble their coaching staff for 2022, here is a trio of names to watch as potential successors for Fears as running backs coach:

Vinnie Sunsieri

By all accounts, Sunsieri looks to be the heir-apparent to coach the Pats rushers in 2022. The 28-year-old began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, the University of Alabama, under known Belichick-associate, Nick Saban. Sunsieri coached alongside his brother, Tino, who also was a graduate assistant and his father, Sal, who is the Crimson Tide’s linebackers coach. In 2020 he was hired by the New England Patriots in a support staff role. In 2021, Sunsieri was named an assistant running backs coach; shadowing Fears while developing solid relationships with Harris, Stevenson, veteran Brandon Bolden and second-year back J.J. Taylor.

He had a brief playing stint with the Patriots, as well. Sunseri spent training camp with New England in 2016 and was later signed to their practice squad. In October of 2016, Sunseri was released by the Patriots and signed to the 49ers practice squad in November. Shortly after, he was promoted to San Francisco's active roster, playing in six games and registering four defensive tackles.

Kevin Faulk

Should the Pats look outside the organization for Fears’ successor, few options, if any, would make more sense than Kevin Faulk. Having played 13 seasons in New England, Faulk was one of the Pats’ most versatile and most reliable running backs in team history. The three-time Super Bowl champion, and Patriots Hall of Farmer, has spent the past two seasons as the running backs coach for his alma mater, LSU. However, Faulk and the Tigers agreed to part ways following the 2021 season, when they hired new coach Brian Kelly.

Faulk’s experience would be an invaluable asset for the Pats’ corps of running backs. For as much success as New England's runners had in 2021, ball security was often an issue; likely costing the Patriots a win on more than one occasion. Faulk is familiar with such struggles. More importantly, he is well-versed in correcting them. Despite being New England’s lead back in 2000, his own ball security issues led to a temporary demotion. Still, Faulk was determined to make himself a more versatile, and thus a better player. In his new role as a third-down back, he flourished for many years to come, becoming one of Tom Brady’s most reliable offensive targets. If the opportunity indeed becomes available, Faulk could be an intriguing option.

Troy Brown

In what would essentially be a lateral move, Brown would be an interesting positional fit. A beloved Patriot during his playing days, Brown has earned a great deal of respect in the coaches room throughout the past couple of seasons. At the beginning of the 2019 NFL season, he began coaching in an unofficial capacity by assisting then-wide receivers coach Joe Judge, who was often busy with his other role as special teams coordinator. In 2020, Brown officially joined the Patriots coaching staff, serving as the teams running backs/kick returners coach. In 2021, Brown was announced as the wide receivers/kick returners coach. No stranger to success, Brown would immediately command the respect needed to direct the Patriots running backs, if chosen for the role. The drawback would be taking him away from his current role as receivers coach, where he has developed a solid relationship with the Pats’ wideouts. Though unlikely, Brown is expected to garner at least some attention as they attempt to fill the position.