Patriots

Belichick: Matt Patricia and Joe Judge splitting playcalling duties is ‘longer conversation’

Responding to a question about his two play-callers, Belichick said "We don't have time for that."

(From left) Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, and Bill Belichick appeared honed in on the offense in Thursday's exhibition opener.

By Khari Thompson

August 15, 2022

Matt Patricia and Joe Judge spoke about their roles calling offensive plays at a press conference on Monday.

The Patriots, who have not named an offensive coordinator, had both Patricia and Judge calling plays during Thursday’s preseason opener loss to the New York Giants.

“I mean honestly, it’s just collaborative from that standpoint. We follow Coach Belichick’s lead you know?” Patricia said. “I’m just trying to do my job to the best ability, whatever he asks me to do on any given day. And that’s the beauty of it, that’s what I love. It’s always kind of new and exciting and challenging from that standpoint. We’re all just working together right now which is the great part about it.”

Judge echoed Patricia’s comments about working together.

“As far as defined roles or whatever that may be, I come to work every day with one simple policy,” Judge said. “Whatever he [Belichick] says goes. I’m not the head coach here. That’s one certain thing. And my job is to do whatever he says and get the players playing better.”

Both Judge and Patricia are longtime Patriots assistants who had brief head coaching stints. Patricia coached the Detriot Lions from 2018-2020 and Judge coached the Giants in 2021.

Patricia spent most of his Patriots career coaching defense, spending five years as defensive coordinator after coaching linebackers and safeties. However, his first job with the Patriots in 2004 was as an offensive assistant, and he coached the offensive line for a year.

Judge coached special teams during his first stint with the Patriots and is now the team’s quarterbacks coach/offensive assistant.

Belichick said that competition “doesn’t have anything to do” with his process for evaluating play callers the way it does for players. When asked to go into more detail about the process, he declined.

“We don’t have time for that,” Belichick said. “I appreciate the question, I really do. I know how interested you are in that subject, and I’d love to be able to shed a little more light on it, but, honestly, it’s a much longer conversation.”