New England Patriots Ex Joe Judge Hired In SEC

Former New England Patriots assistant head coach Joe Judge will hold the same title under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss.

Former New England Patriots assistant coach Joe Judge is heading south for the upcoming season. 

Judge, per an OM Spirit report, has been hired as assistant head coach for the Ole Miss Rebels, working under head coach Lane Kiffin. The position marks Judge’s first post in college football since he served as a special teams assistant coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide (2009-11) under coach Nick Saban. 

The 42-year-old previously served as a Patriots’ special teams assistant from 2012-2014, before his promotion to special teams coordinator; a role which he held from 2015 to 2019. During that time, New England fielded some of the most-efficient and well-disciplined special teams units in the NFL. The Patriots appeared in four Super Bowls, winning three of them, during Judge's first tour of duty with the club. 

Aug 11, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, Joe Judge (Center) and Matt Patricia.

Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Following a two-season stint as head coach of the New York Giants — in which he compiled a 10-23 record — Judge returned to New England in 2022 to take on a notable role in crafting the Patriots offense as quarterbacks coach under head coach Bill Belichick. Unfortunately, then-starting quarterback Mac Jones, displayed notable regression under his guidance. The Pats ranked No. 25 in the NFL in total yards while scoring only 18.6 points per game on average. At times, the disconnect between the players and the coaching staff was so overt that Jones was observed hurling expletive-laden frustrations, believed to be in the direction of his coaches — including Judge, with whom the former Pats first-round pick was reported to have an “icy” relationship. 

The Patriots offensive futility ultimately led to both Judge and primary play-caller Matt Patricia being relieved of their roles in favor of hiring new offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. After only one season in the position, O’Brien left New England to briefly become the offensive coordinator for Ohio State University. Less than one month later, he accepted the head coaching job at Boston College. 

Despite an overall downtrodden season in 2022, Judge remained with the Pats for 2023, serving as assistant head coach in Belichick’s final season at New England’s helm. He also worked “closely” with special teams coaches Cam Achord and Joe Houston. It should be noted that the Giants continued to pay Judge through the end of his second stint with New England, as a result of his dismissal during the 2021 offseason.