The 5 best offensive coordinators in the history of the Patriots

Given the successful history of the New England Patriots, one would believe they have had a long list of incredibly talented and accomplished offensive coordinators who greatly contributed to their winning culture. While that applies to some of the names on this list, most were predominately average compared to anything else.

There is an easy top tier of offensive playcallers in the history of the team, who many fans have come to know and love over the years, while others have less memorable careers during a downtime for the team.

No matter what, however, they all contributed to the offense in their own ways and made long-lasting impressions during their tenures.

Whether it was multiple trips to the Super Bowl or impressive winning records by the time they moved onto another team, these play callers deserve to be recognized for their impact on the team during their time on the sideline, even if it doesn't compare to the most successful era like the dynasty.

Criteria for Selection

When ranking the most successful and greatest offensive coordinators in Patriots history, it's important to incorporate a few aspects.

The most obvious, of course, is their win/loss record at the end of their tenures, which doesn't always reflect all that happened during that time. However, it is still a good measuring stick of how well their time as the offensive playcaller went.

Another would be their impact on the team during their years on the sideline. There might be some who were only with the team for a short period of time, but how the offense performed or ended a playoff drought counts for a lot in the NFL, so they should be ranked accordingly.

The 5 best offensive coordinators in the history of the Patriots

5. Lew Erber

Perhaps one of the more unknown names on this list, Lew Erber was one of the earliest offensive coordinators in Patriots history, holding the position from 1982 to 1984. Although it isn't considered the most memorable of all periods in New England, Erber helped coach the offense to a 22-19 record during his tenure, which remains the fourth-winningest OC in team history.

During the three years he spent playcalling for the Patriots, Erber helped bring the team to the playoffs just one time, whch they lost in the wildcard round.

However, the year after he left to become the receivers coach for the LA Rams, the team went to the Super Bowl to take on the infamous 1985 Bears. There was no "officially" named offensive coordinator that year, so maybe that could still be slightly attributed to Erber's work from just a year before.

4. Ray Perkins

Because he remains the third-winningest offensive coordinator in team history, it seems fair to have Ray Perkins hold the fourth spot on this list. He joined the Patriots in 1993 and remained in the position until the end of the 1996 season.

As Bill Parcells' offensive play-caller, Perkins helped lead the offense to two playoff runs in 1994 and 1996. One of these ended with a loss in the wildcard round, and the other with a loss to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXI. It might not have been successful runs, but it was the Patriots' first post season appearances since the 1986 season, which would indicate a jump in success offensively.

By the end of his tenure in 1996, Perkins recorded a dead-even record of 32-32, which might not sound too great, but it is still one of the better recorded by an OC in New England history and helped usher in the most successful era for the team.

3. Bill O'Brien

He may have only been calling the shots for one season in 2011 (at least, the only season we care to acknowledge), but the Patriots offense under Bill O'Brien was impressive and remains noteworthy even 13 years later.

Not only did the team end the season with a 13-3 record and an appearance in the Super Bowl, but Tom Brady recorded his first 5,000+ passing yard season, and the dominant duo of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez was born, who wreaked havoc on opposing defenses all season long. The duo recorded a combined 168 receptions for 2,237 yards, 24 touchdowns, and a catch percentage of over 71%.

On top of that, Wes Welker had the best statistical season of his career, recording 122 receptions for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns, and five offensive players made the Pro Bowl at the end of the year.

Despite the heartbreaking Super Bowl loss, O'Brien's offense is still remembered as one of the more iconic groups during the two decades of dominance the Patriots accomplished in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.

His second stint as the playcaller in 2023 may not be remembered fondly, but there will always be the 2011 season to look back on.

2. Charlie Weis

Before the man responsible for the most successful run as an offensive coordinator in Patriots history began his tenure, there was Charlie Weis, who had a lot of success in his own right during his run at the position.

He was named the offensive playcaller in 2000 when Bill Belichick became the head coach and remained there until he left for Notre Dame at the end of the 2004 season.

During his five seasons in New England, Weis coached the offense to magnificent heights, especially under the chaotic circumstances surrounding the quarterback position.

After a 5-11 start in his first season working with Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady was named the starter, and from there, Weis helped coach the offense to three Super Bowl wins in four years, officially kicking off the start of what would be a twenty-year dynasty.

1. Josh McDaniels

Much like the ease in deciding the best Patriots quarterback of all time, determining the greatest offensive coordinator in team history is simple: it's Josh McDaniels.

From his growth on the team, starting as a personnel assistant in 2001 and becoming the offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008, to holding the title from 2012 until he eventually left to become the Raiders head coach in 2022, McDaniels was the perfect pairing for the greatest quarterback of all time.

The Patriots offense thrived under his leadership, with Tom Brady putting together his most successful seasons while working with McDaniels and several players who were never expected to be much of anything becoming superstars as members of the team.

McDaniels was part of the coaching staff for all six Super Bowl wins, coaching to an impressive record of 154-55-0 during the regular season and 18-8 in the playoffs. He was a significant part of the most successful offense in league history in 2007, which broke multiple league records and nearly completed and undefeated season.

It looked like he would take over from Bill Belichick whenever the longtime head coach left the team, and although things didn't pan out that way, the long list of contributions McDaniels made to the Patriots during his tenure cannot be overlooked. He's the winningest offensive coordinator for a reason and easily the best in team history.

The 5 best offensive coordinators in Patriots history by win/loss record

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