Commanders Hire Ex Patriots Special Teams Standout

Former New England Patriots special teamer Larry Izzo will be joining the staff of newly-installed head coach Dan Quinn as special teams coordinator of the Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders may have balked at the opportunity to hire former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to lead their team in 2024. However, they are still siphoning some of the “Patriot Way” onto the staff of new coach Dan Quinn. 

The Commanders, per The Athletic, are hiring former Patriots special teams standout Larry Izzo as their new special teams coordinator. Izzo most -recently served in the same capacity with the Seattle Seahawks, under ex-Pats head coach Pete Carroll. 

Cred: New York Daily New Images

Despite joining the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 1996 with the Miami Dolphins, Izzo’s pro career kickstarted in 2001, when he signed with the Patriots in 2001. The product of Rice University played on three of the six Patriots' Super Bowl championship teams (2001, 2003 and 2004), defeating the St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers, and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively. Izzo was also part of the 2007 Patriots, who were the only undefeated team in the regular season since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule. During his nine seasons in New England, Izzo was a three-time Pro Bowler, as well as earning a first-team All Pro selection as a special teamer in 2004. He was also selected as a member of the franchise’s All-2000s Team and All-Dynasty Team. 

Izzo’s coaching career began in 2011, when he joined the New York Giants as an assistant special teams coach. Ironically, his work with the Giants third-phase allowed the unit to play an integral role in the team’s victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI — earning Izzo his first championship ring as a coach, and fourth overall. 

Following a two-season stint as special teams coordinator with the Houston Texans, the  49-year-old joined the Seahawks, with whom he has coached since 2020. 

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