Patriots are working out details to get special teams coach, Joe Judge, back

Nancy Lane | Boston Herald

For a while there, it seemed as though the New England Patriots were going to look a lot different at the coordinator level this upcoming season.

But offensive coordinator, Josh McDaniels, decided to stay put. And now, it looks like special-teams coach Joe Judge isn’t going anywhere either. That would mean that Bill Belichick and company only have one coordinator spot to fill, as defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is now the head coach of the Detroit Lions.

It is reported by ESPN’s Mike Reiss that the Patriots and Joe Judge are finalizing contract details for him to return to the team in 2018. Nothing is official yet, but Reiss writes that it is expected to happen.

Judge joined New England in 2012 and began as an assistant special-teams coach under Scott O’Brien. He then took over the job in 2015. Prior to this, he was at Alabama for three seasons on Nick Saban’s staff.

The Patriots finished third in Rick Gosselin’s annual special-teams rankings and hope to remain in the top spots under the guidance of Judge.

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