Former WR Troy Brown Will Be Coaching 3rd Position For Patriots This Year

Brown's skill set as a player in the NFL has him coaching multiple positions as he officially joins the ranks of New England's coaching staff.

After coaching the receivers last year during the offseason, former New England Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown has officially joined the coaching ranks this year. 

Brown is listed as the running backs and kick returners coach on the team's official coaching staff for the 2020 season. However, according to head coach Bill Belichick, he will also be coaching a third position. 

"Troy spent the year with us last year, and of course has a tremendous amount of experience here," Belichick said during his video conference last Friday. "He'll continue to work with other positions, as well – the returners and the slot receivers. But just given the conversations I've had with Troy, he's very eager, he is a very instinctive football player and coach, I think that he was always great with the ball in his hands as a runner, he was obviously a great receiver, and I think that's a big part of every running back's job, and he was a strong player in the kicking game, as well. So, it was an opportunity for him to be involved with a little bit of a different group."

Coach Belichick went on to explain how moving coaches around to other positional groups helps expand their resume and will help them find better opportunities moving forward. The most recent coach to be helped by that is now-Giants head coach Joe Judge, who in his final season with the Patriots, which was last year, was the team's special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach. 

Brown will have an important task on his hands this year. With Julian Edelman entering the season at 34 years of age, the six-time Super Bowl champions will shortly be looking for Edelman's replacement in the slot. Players like Gunner Olszewski, Will Hastings and Jeff Thomas have the ability to play in the slot, but they must improve their game at the professional level in order to make an impact in New England's offense. Brown will be in charge of helping them develop their game, so it's up to him to find Edelman's successor. 

Troy Brown will be one of three former Patriots players on New England's coaching staff this year, the other two being inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and defensive assistant Vinnie Sunseri.