Brian Belichick reportedly remaining on Patriots coaching staff

BOSTON -- The Patriots' coaching staff has already undergone some massive changes this offseason, the biggest of which was obviously the removal of Bill Belichick as head coach after 24 seasons on the job.

Despite all the changes, there will still be one Belichick on the coaching staff for Jerod Mayo.

That Belichick will be Brian Belichick, who will remain on the coaching staff, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.

Brian Belichick has spent the last eight seasons working for the Patriots, first as a scouting assistant in 2016. He was a coaching assistant from 2017-19 before becoming safeties coach in 2020, a position he's held for the past four seasons.

Brian's older brother, Steve, left the Patriots' staff to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Washington, after he had spent the past several seasons working alongside Mayo.

Brian Belichick staying in New England adds some continuity to a defense that ranked seventh in the NFL in yards allowed last year. In addition to Mayo's elevation from linebackers coach to head coach, former defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington was elevated to defensive coordinator. The offensive coaching staff as well as special teams have flipped a significant number of coaches already this offseason, but Mayo -- a defensive coach -- has clearly taken some steps to retain as much of the defensive staff as possible.

On offense, Alex Van Pelt has replaced Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator, while T.C. McCartney has been brought in as the quarterbacks coach and Scott Peters is joining the staff as offensive line coach.