It any other head coach were doing something like this, everyone would be calling him an idiot.
But Bill Belichick, thanks to six Super Bowl wins as a head coach and two more as a defensive coordinator, gets a broad benefit of the doubt when it comes to a long-time defensive assistant turned head coach turned jack-of-all-trades calling the offensive plays.
Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston reports that Matt Patricia, technically the offensive line coach, is calling the plays for the New England offense in the preseason opener against the Giants. (The Patriots broadcast, being simulcast on NFL Network, acknowledged late in the first quarter that it appears Patricia is calling the offensive plays.)
Patricia graduated from the position of defensive coordinator to head coach of the Lions. After being fired by Detroit during his third season, Patricia returned to the Patriots. He was involved in various roles last year, including the negotiation of contracts.
This year’s quarterbacks coach is Joe Judge, a former special-teams coordinator who washed out in two years as head coach of the Giants.
The Patriots are trying to replace long-time offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who became the new head coach of the Raiders earlier this year. Again, if any other coach were trying to do it this way, it would not be pretty.
Whether it’s anything but ugly for the New England offense remains to be seen.