Redskins: 30 candidates who could potentially replace Jay Gruden as head coach
47. . Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach. New England Patriots. Joe Judge. 20. player
Previously: 19
Taking a branch off the Patriots coaching tree doesn’t always work. But that won’t stop teams from trying to target their assistants for bigger roles. And the solid play of Matt Patricia’s Lions in his second year at the helm will definitely make New England’s assistants more attractive as well.
Joe Judge is not a well-known name, but not many special teams coordinators get time in the spotlight. Still, Judge has consistently done well to coach the Patriots on special teams. Under his watch, the team has continued to find immense success as a unit, and that’s one of the underrated reasons as to why the Patriots are so good.
Judge, 37, has spent the past decade as a special teams assistant or coordinator with the Patriots and with Alabama. So, he has learned under Nick Saban and Bill Belichick. That’s not bad. Not bad at all.
More from Commanders News
- What will Emmanuel Forbes bring to the Washington Commanders?
- Highlighting the best Commanders 2023 NFL Draft betting props
- 3 late Commanders rumors drawing buzz ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft
- 4 bold predictions for the Commanders 2023 NFL Draft
- Commanders News: Chase Young trade, draft day, CB riser and Sam Howell
Judge is also in a unique role with the Patriots this year. He is serving as their receivers coach as well as special teams coordinator, and his ability to manage both positions so far has been solid. He was able to quick reincorporate Josh Gordon into the lineup and also got Antonio Brown involved during his one week there. Now, he will need to do the same with Mohamed Sanu.
Judge has dealt well with a lot of shuffling — including parting with both Gordon and Brown — and has continued to get superior play from his special teams (save for a muffed punt by Gunner Olszewski).
If the Redskins are looking for an outside-the-box hire, Judge could be an interesting option because of his extensive special teams experience coupled with his recent role in the Patriots’ offense. Special teams coordinators don’t often get head coaching jobs, but perhaps Judge could be the next John Harbaugh. Either way, he has potential and could bring strong fundamentals to Washington, something that the team could definitely use.