FOXBORO, Mass. — For the second time in as many years, the New England Patriots' defense will turn its attention to a new play-caller on game day.
The Boston Globe's Jim McBride reports that New England is set to fill its vacant defensive coordinator position with Greg Schiano, a former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and defensive coordinator at Ohio State University.
The Patriots have been without an official defensive coordinator since the departure of Matt Patricia following the 2017 season. Patricia was named head coach of the Lions in February 2018 after 14 seasons in New England — six of which were spent in the capacity of defensive play-caller.
Linebackers coach Brain Flores, who ultimately took over play-calling after Patricia left sans the position title, was offered a job as head coach at divisional opponent Miami shortly after the Patriots' Super Bowl LIII win.
Reports of Flores' possible exit began as early as January, leaving the Patriots with at least some time amid its championship hunt to begin the screening process of filling the coordinator position.
Schiano was head coach at Rutgers University from 2001-2011, head coach of the Buccaneers from 2012-13, and defensive coordinator and associate head coach at OSU since 2016 until leaving on Jan. 7, 2019.
Patriots defensive backs Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty and Duron Harmon all played under Schiano at Rutgers.