Brian Flores vs. Matt Patricia: Who Had More New England Patriots Assistants Leave with Them?

I compared the last two defensive New England Patriots coaches to get head coaching gigs in the NFL.

There’s a fat chance that Matt Patricia is going to be a better head coach than Brian Flores, but let me put the blind conjecture aside to measure one specific thing: who had more fellow New England Patriots assistant coaches join them the next season in their new head coaching venture?

Assistants Leaving with Matt Patricia

~ No. 2 pencil

Actual human beings? Zero.

Please feel free to fact check me (Lions 2018 staff — here; Patriots 2017 staff — here), but I looked at every position on the coaching staffs, from head coach to strength and conditioning.

Assistants Leaving with Brian Flores

~ Chad O’Shea and (reportedly) Jerry Schuplinski

Miami Dolphins Hire #Patriots WR Coach Chad O’Shea As New Offensive Coordinator: https://t.co/TvHkJjKl9E

— WBZ Boston Sports (@wbzsports) February 6, 2019

Brian Flores is reportedly taking Jerry Schuplinski with him to Miami https://t.co/AjlUC9tHeq

— WEEI (@WEEI) February 4, 2019

Now, what does this all mean? One could argue nepotism became Adam Gase’s achilles heel, how is this scenario different? There’s a system of checks and balances on Brian Flores’ staff as it relates to nepotism and proven commodities, or at least the intention appears to be there depending on whether individuals accept the job or not. Bring my WR coach and assistant QB coach to be the new offensive coordinator and QB coach? OK, let’s bring in Jim Caldwell, too. Patrick Graham (previous coaching experience with Flores) gets paired with Dom Capers.

Again, to be transparent, nothing official has happened with Schuplinski, Graham, Caldwell, or Capers — but there’s enough smoke to know there’s at least some embers developing, whether or not it turns robust enough to melt our marshmallows. The thought process is clear: a complementary coaching staff.

It’s tough to get multiple assistants from the New England Patriots, period. Brian Flores has been able to pry at least one, likely two. It’s a coup in itself. According to NFL rules, teams can block interviews with assistant coaches under contract, as long as the requested interview is not for a head coaching position. Let’s just say New England breaks knows the rules as well as anyone.

You may rightfully be unimpressed with the comparison to Matt Patricia, but we can gather that maybe, just maybe, Flores is trying to learn from his predecessors’ mistakes. If Flores is to be the first Patriots assistant coach to leave the nest and find success, it’ll start right here and right now with the formulation of his coaching staff.

You don’t have to let your jadedness or cynicism go anywhere, but when you compare the last two key defensive coaching cogs to leave Foxborough for head coaching positions and the Patriots colleagues they’d take with them, know that the score is Flores one (probably two), Patricia glazed donut.

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