Patriots Hire ex Jets Running Backs Coach; Mayo Staff Meeting?

The New England Patriots are set to bring in Taylor Embree as their new running backs coach under head coach Jerod Mayo.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots appear to be taking their final steps in filling the few remaining spots on the staff of new head coach Jerod Mayo. 

The Patriots, per a Tuesday afternoon CBS report, are planning to hire former New York Jets running backs coach Taylor Embree to the same position on Mayo’s staff. He will succeed Vinnie Sunsieri, who recently accepted the defensive backs coach position with the University of Washington. 

Embree, 35, was named the running backs coach for the Jets in 2021, working under head coach Robert Saleh. The team announced in January that Embree would not be returning for 2024.

Former New York Jets running backs coach Taylor Embree is joining Jerod Mayo’s staff with the New England Patriots / Cred: Adam Hunger, AP via New York Post

Having played receiver for four years at UCLA, Embree signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers in 2012. However, he was cut at the end of the preseason.

Embree quickly turned his attention to coaching by accepting a graduate assistant position at UNLV in 2012. After one season with the Rebels, he laterally moved back to his alma mater (UCLA,) where he served in the same capacity for the Bruins through the 2015 season.

Though his pro coaching career began in 2016 as a defensive assistant for the Kansas City Chiefs, Embree joined the San Francisco 49ers as an offensive quality control coach in 2017. There, he worked alongside his father, Jon, — who is currently the currently the tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins. He remained with the Niners through the 2019 season. 

Embree returned to college football in 2020 as the tight ends coach at Colorado, serving on the staff of first-year head coach Karl Dorrell. He spent one year with the Buffaloes, before following Saleh — with whom he worked as a member of the 49ers — to East Rutherford for a job with the Jets. 

The news of Embree’s expected hiring comes on the heels of a report from ESPN’s Mike Reiss — revealing that the majority of Patriots coaches hired by Mayo reported for work together on Tuesday. Reiss reported that the meeting signified a “notable step and progression” toward building staff chemistry and devising strategy for 2024 plans. 

Since officially taking the helm of the Patriots on Jan 17, Mayo has hired offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, quarterback coach T.C. McCartney, offensive line coach Scott Peters, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler, and assistant receivers coach Tiquan Underwood. 

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Reiss also reported that Troy Brown who has served as a Patriots offensive assistant since 2020, and held the role in 2021 has been provided an opportunity to stay with the organization, yet was uncertain on his offered role or job title. Brown recently coached the offense of the American team in this year’s Senior Bowl.

Once the final spots on the staff (tight ends coach and receivers coach) are finalized, a formal announcement will be made (presumably next week) to officially welcome the new coaches to New England. 

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