The New England Patriots 2024 season was a soap opera from the beginning. Things started off on an ominous note when owner Robert Kraft fired legendary head coach Bill Belichick after a 4-13 season, despite Belichick’s history of guiding the once-moribund Patriots franchise to a record six Super Bowl trophies in his 24 years at the helm.
Then the season ended with Kraft firing the coach he hand-picked to replace Belichick, former Patriots linebacker and assistant coach Jerod Mayo. In his one season in charge, Mayo led the Patriots to a second-consecutive 4-13 record, completing the Patriots worst two-year stretch since 1992 and 1993 when New England won just seven total games.
While the Patriots’ offense certainly struggled, scoring the third-fewest points in the NFL (289), the defense was expected to at least put in a respectable season. But that did not happen. The Patriots defensive failures may have been the real story of the failed 2024 season. When the season was over, first-year defensive coordinator Demarcus Covington paid the price.
Green Bay Packers Announce Hiring of Ex-Patriots Coach
While never officially fired by the Patriots, Covington was quickly given permission to interview with other NFL teams. When new head coach Mike Vrabel hired Detroit Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams to serve as the Patriots defensive coordinator, Covington’s fate was clear. He would not be returning to the New England staff.
On Thursday, the Green Bay Packers made an announcement that could only be good news for Covington. The 35-year-old was named the Packers’ new defensive line coach, the position he held with the Patriots from 2020 through 2023, before Mayo promoted him to the top defensive job.
Under Covington, the Patriots defense ranked 22nd in the NFL in points allowed with 417, as well as 22nd in opponent yardage, giving up 5,829. Against the run, they stood at No. 23, giving up 2,233 yards on the ground.
But it was in the pass rush department that the Patriots defense under Covington fell the most seriously short. Despite blitzing on 25.4 percent of quarterback dropbacks, 14th-most often in the league, Patriots rushers had trouble reaching the quarterback. They scored QB knockdowns on just 6.2 percent of pass attempts, third from the bottom in the NFL. They were dead last in the league in sacks with just 28.
Patriots Did Not Emphasize Defense Heading Into Season
In fairness, the Patriots did not give Covington many tools on defense. They traded All-Pro edge rusher Matt Judon before the season got underway, and used only one of their eight draft picks in 2024 on a defensive player. That was sixth-rounder Marcellas Dial (180th overall), a cornerback, who played mostly on special teams. He saw only 60 snaps on defense all season.
With Covington and Mayo â both Belichick-trained coaches â gone and Williams in charge, Vrabel is expected to revamp the Patriots defensive scheme for the first time since Belichick took over as head coach with the 2000 season.
Under Belichick, the Patriots primarily employed a “bend but don’t break” style of defense that emphasized reading offensive alignments and reacting after the snap based on the play an opposing offense was running. Vrabel is said to prefer a more aggressive style that emphasizes defenders taking the initiative and making quicker decisions before the ball is snapped.
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