Patriots Keeping Defensive Staff, Retain Cornerbacks Coach

Cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino will return to the New England Patriots for new head coach Jerod Mayo’s first year at the helm.

FOXBORO — While the New England Patriots will employ almost an entirely new coaching staff on offense in 2024, they are maintaining familiarity on defense. 

Just one day after reporting the return of safeties coach — and youngest son of a certain former Patriots legend — Brian Belichick, ESPN’s Mike Reiss revealed New England’s intent to retain the services of cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino. While his official title on head coach Jerod Mayo’s staff has yet to be confirmed, it is expected that he will continue on in his current duties. 

New England Patriots cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino / Cred: Faith Worrell, The Suffolk County News

Pellegrino joined the Patriots as an intern in 2015. He would serve as a coaching assistant for four seasons before being promoted to cornerbacks coach in 2019 — a season which he helped guide former Pats’ star cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a Defensive Player of the Year campaign. The 30-year-old was also part of the respective Patriots coaching staffs, which won Super Bowl LI and LIII. 

Still, Pellegrino’s best performance may have come in 2023.  Despite losing highly-touted rookie corner Christian Gonzalez for the season to a torn labrum, New England’s cornerback group allowed only 6.6 yards per pass attempt with 19 total touchdowns through the air.

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New England is wisely keeping continuity on defense in what will be their first season in the post-Bill Belichick era. The Pats defense finished the 2023 regular season ranked at No. 7 in overall defense in the NFL, allowing a defensive yards-average of 301.6, as well as 21.5 yards-per-game. The Pats run defense ranked fourth overall with 93.2 rushing yards allowed per game. New defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington’s steady hand at guiding the defensive line was a significant reason for their success — as the was the coaching prowess of both Pellegrino and Brian Belichick for New England’s defensive backfield.  

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