Patriots Coordinator Searches Heating Up: Leading Candidates?

Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerlad Alexander is the latest to interview for a position on the New England Patriots coaching staff under Jerod Mayo.

FOXBORO — The NFL equivalent of the coaching “hot stove” is beginning to come to a boil for the New England Patriots.

With numerous interviews having been scheduled and/or completed throughout the week, the Pats are reportedly closing in on rounding out the staff of new head coach Jerod Mayo. 

The Patriots, per Sports Illustrated, have interviewed Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach for their defensive coordinator position. In doing so, Alexander becomes the fifth candidate to be formally considered by the team.

Pittsburgh Steelers assistant defensive backs coach Gerlad Alexander is the latest to interview for the New England Patriots coaching staff vacancy / Photo Cred: Ed Thompson

Alexander just completed his second year as the Pittsburgh's assistant defensive backs coach, serving under head coach Mike Tomlin. Under his tutelage, the Steelers secondary tied for first in the League in interceptions with 20 in 2022. Prior to his stay in the Steel City, the 39-year-old coached defensive backs for the Miami Dolphins from 2020-21 under former Pats' coach Brian Flores.

Alexander will apparently face some stiff competition from current Pats defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington — who (as Breer reported) has emerged as a “strong favorite” for the job, per SI's Albert Breer. 

Since accepting the duties of defensive line coach in 2020, Covington has earned the trust and respect of his colleagues, and most importantly, his players. New England finished the 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. Covington’s steady hand at guiding the defensive line was a significant reason for their success in 2023. 

Though Covington is considered the front-runner for the position, the Pats may look to their pool of interviewed candidates — including Alexander, Carolina Panthers outside linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, New Orleans Saints linebackers coach Michael Hodges and Denver Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker — as potential positional coaches on Mayo's staff. 

The Patriots, per Breer's report, are also making notable progress in their search for a new offensive coordinator. Former Patriots tight ends coach Nick Caley, who served in the same capacity for the Los Angeles Rams in 2023r, interviewed for the job Monday. Caley's fellow Rams' colleague, pass game coordinator Zac Robinson, is scheduled to interview on Tuesday. While New England has yet to tip its hand on a possible favorite for the position, the report suggests that they may consider hiring a “riser-type" (such as Caley, or Robinson) as coordinator, with a senior offensive assistant providing some veteran insight and support. 

Mayo's Most Important Hire?: Patriots Offensive Coordinator Leading Candidates

New England is seemingly leaving no stone unturned, as they also interviewed former Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron prior to his accepting a position with the Chicago Bears. Waldron had been one of the top candidates on the coaching market, having served under ex-Seahawks coach Pete Carroll as offensive coordinator since 2021. Waldron, an attendee of both Andover Academy and Tufts University in Massachusetts, began his NFL career with the Patriots as an operations intern (2002) and assistant in 2004. He returned for a second tour of duty with the Pats as an offensive quality control coach in 2008 and tight ends coach in 2009. In addition to his time in Seattle, Waldron also coached with the Los Angeles Rams under coach Sean McVay. While Waldron was expected to draw interest from several teams, Chicago acted quickly in securing his services.  

---