Keeping Track Of Patriots' Coaching Staff And Front Office Members No Longer With Team
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- A year ago at this time, the Patriots were readying themselves for the Super Bowl. This year, they're cleaning house -- at least, relatively speaking.
An organization known for its stability over the past decade-and-a-half under head coach Bill Belichick has already undergone significant changes across the coaching staff and football operations department -- and the season-ending loss to the Broncos is not even a week old.
The departures have come quite frequently, so to help tidy things up, here's a recap of who's no longer with the team.
Dave DeGuglielmo, offensive line coach
This was the first departure to be made public following the Patriots' loss to the Broncos. Dave DeGuglielmo's time with the Patriots came to an abrupt end after just two seasons on the job, and it came after his offensive line got beaten badly by the Denver pass rush on Sunday.
DeGuglielmo faced a difficult challenge when he joined the Patriots prior to last season. For one, he was replacing a legend in Dante Scarnecchia, and secondly, the personnel at his disposal was not exactly an All-Pro unit. As a result, the O-line struggled mightily in the first few weeks of the 2014 season with the likes of Jordan Devey heavily involved in the mix, but recovered and won the Super Bowl despite the departure of veteran Logan Mankins and the addition of rookie Bryan Stork.
Yet the line lost left tackle Nate Solder early in the 2015 season and never recovered, helping to lead to Tom Brady getting sacked 17 more times in 2015 than he did in 2014.
DeGuglielmo has already found a new job, reportedly signing with the Chargers to be an assistant O-line coach.
Harold Nash, strength and conditioning coach
Perhaps best known as the man who would take Tom Brady out for an occasional walk ...
... Nash spent five years as the strength and conditioning coach after serving as the assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2005-10.
According to his bio on Patriots.com, Nash's job duties included "implementing the team's year-round conditioning program."
While this fact can't be attributed to or blamed on Nash, the Patriots did suffer the most injuries in the NFL this year, according to ManGamesLost.com. Further, the Patriots have been among the most-injured teams since 2009. Obviously, in a contact sport like football, injuries are inevitable. But the Patriots don't like to be among the worst teams in any category, which is likely as big a reason as any that the move to fire Nash was made.
Patrick Graham, linebackers coach
This was perhaps the most surprising move of the week, considering Patrick Graham served as the de facto defensive coordinator for the Patriots' preseason finale this year and figured to be a rising coach on the staff. Yet Graham left New England and opted to join the New York Giants as their defensive line coach. ESPN reported the news on Thursday night.
Graham worked for the Patriots for seven years, coaching both the linebackers and the defensive line. As the linebackers coach, Graham has been there as Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins have grown into true forces in the NFL and proved to be a major strength of the Patriots' defense.
Kevin Anderson, director of pro player development
This one goes back to former Patriots scouting director Bob Quinn getting the job as general manager of the Detroit Lions, as he has filled his staff with some folks he knows best.
That includes Kevin Anderson, who will become the Lions' head of football operations, according to ESPN.
A brief ESPN.com profile of Anderson in 2011 detailed his job duties, which included organizing the logistics of team travel, as well as assisting Nash in the team's player development program.
He worked with the Patriots for 10 years.
Dr. Matt Provenchar, medical director
Very much unlike the end of Dr. Thomas Gill's tenure, the departure of Dr. Matt Provenchar as the team's medical director comes with much less controversy. CSNNE reported Thursday that Dr. Provenchar will be leaving his post at Mass General in order to take a job at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo.
Dr. Provenchar told CSNNE that his move was a "family decision."
