FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are transferring ahead with plans to advertise defensive position coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator, a supply confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.
The Patriots have knowledgeable different candidates that Covington is the selection, a supply relayed to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The transfer was anticipated as Covington, 34, enters his eighth season with the Patriots. He has labored intently with first-year head coach Jerod Mayo, first as outdoors linebackers coach in 2019 and the previous 4 seasons as defensive position coach.
Covington’s stable work with the defensive position was mirrored, partly, by the Patriots permitting a league-low 3.3 yards per carry in 2023. Third-year defensive lineman Christian Barmore additionally emerged as a breakout star.
In an extra reflection of Covington’s rise, the Arizona Cardinals had requested permission to interview him for his or her defensive coordinator emptiness final 12 months. Covington additionally served as a defensive coordinator on the Senior Bowl final season.
With Covington anticipated to be named Patriots defensive coordinator, it will increase the probability that a lot of the crew’s defensive workers stays intact, with the lingering query on what Steve Belichick and Brian Belichick — the sons of former coach Invoice Belichick — resolve to do.
Steve Belichick, the linebackers coach who referred to as the performs lately, has earned the chance to stay on workers, based on Mayo. If he chooses to remain, the projection is that he can be a prime aide/senior adviser to Mayo, with whom he developed an in depth relationship over the previous decade.
Brian Belichick, the safeties coach, has additionally earned the chance to remain, Mayo mentioned.
The Patriots are nonetheless interviewing candidates for offensive coordinator and particular groups coordinator, with that course of anticipated to shift into a better gear with in-person interviews this week.
Sports activities Illustrated first reported information of Covington’s anticipated promotion.
