The New England Patriots kept busy on Super Sunday, reportedly adding two assistant coaches before the kickoff of Super Bowl LVIII.
Ex-Ravens and Giants outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins has been hired to the same position in New England, according to the NFL Network. Wilkins spent the past two seasons in New York, where he was fired last month along with former Giants and Ravens defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Before following Martindale to New York in 2022, Wilkins coached in Baltimore for a dozen seasons, including two as an outside linebackers coach.
With the Patriots, he will reunite with four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Matt Judon. Wilkins coached Judon to his first two Pro Bowls in Baltimore. Wilkins originally started as a Ravens video operations intern, then became a coaching assistant in 2013 and climbed the ranks while working primarily with defensive linemen and linebackers.
In New England, Wilkins will team with new Patriots linebackers coach Dont’a Hightower, whose return and hiring was announced Friday.
The Patriots also added to their offensive staff, hiring new assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood, per multiple reports. Underwood was a teammate of new head coach Jerod Mayo during the Patriots’ 2011 season, during which time he became known for his high-top fade haircut and infamous release the night before Super Bowl XLVI.
Underwood has since broken into coaching, where he worked with college receivers at Pitt and Rutgers over the past four seasons. The 36-year-old was the only offensive assistant retained at Pitt this winter, after he coached leading Panthers wideout Jared Wayne to a 1,000-yard campaign.
It’s unclear who the Patriots’ lead receivers coach will be next season. Troy Brown has served in that role the past three years, but it has not been reported whether Brown will stay or move on. The Pats lost fellow wide receivers coach Ross Douglas midseason to a job at Syracuse, and did not replace him. Underwood appears to have filled that role now.
Underwood is set to join new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, quarterbacks coach T.C. McCartney, offensive line coach Scott Peters, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler and senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo on the Patriots’ offensive coaching staff.
