Now that the Patriots have settled on their head coach for the 2025 season, announcing Mike Vrabel would succeed Jerod Mayo last week, there has been much conversation surrounding who he will add to his staff. The focus has been squarely on who will be named the next offensive coordinator since the development of quarterback Drake Maye is expected to be treated with the utmost importance, prompting several rumors about the likelihood of an impending Josh McDaniels return.
But there has also been a lot of debate about which coaches from Mayo's staff might deserve to stick around for another season, with some arguing that OC Alex Van Pelt could be a good one to keep for some continuity for Maye.
There haven't been any reports indicating Van Pelt's fate with the Patriots, unlike others who have already been looking for jobs with other teams. But the latest from Patriots insider Mike Reiss suggests that at least one underrated coach might be kept on staff, which most fans will be delighted to hear.
Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer looks like he might remain in New England for another year
Throughout the dynasty years in Foxboro, Bill Belichick created a nearly untouchable special teams unit every season that influenced the rest of the NFL. It became part of his genius and helped the Patriots win several games, many of which are why kicker Adam Vinatieri will earn a gold jacket in the NFL Hall of Fame.
But in the latter years of his New England tenure, the third unit lost its spark and became more of a liability than it ever had been. Some of it could be attributed to coaching, of course, which became one of the bright spots during the first season in Belichick's absence.
Mayo took a risk in hiring Jeremy Springer, who had seven years of experience at various college programs and just two years with the Rams as an assistant special teams coach. However, he proved to be potentially the best hire of the entire staff, putting the Patriots' special teams back on the map.
According to Reiss, that might be playing a part in Vrabel's decision to keep Springer on staff, as the latest reporting suggests things are swinging in Springer's favor to be retained for 2025.
"On special teams, momentum seemed to be building for Vrabel to retain coordinator Jeremy Springer and top assistant Tom Quinn, with Quinn having coached on Vrabel's staff in Tennessee."
Of all the coaches that should be safe from dismissal, Springer is one that most fans have already decided should be at the top of the list. From his ability to bring life back to an otherwise problematic group over the last few years to his stance on fans booing that won Patriots Nation over, it makes more sense to keep Springer around than to move on.
It also helps that he works with an assistant who has ties to Vrabel already, making it a bit easier for the new head coach to trust the decision that Springer is the real deal.