This is an earth shattering move. Patriots offensive line coach, and assistant head coach, Dante Scarnecchia is set to retire.
Scarnecchia just completed his 29th season with the Patriots and can easily be considered the most important assistant coach on the staff. He joined the Patriots in 1982 as the tight ends and special teams coach, before moving to the Colts in 1989 to be the offensive line coach. Scar returned to the Patriots in 1991 as a special teams coach. He was given the role of offensive line coach in 1999 and was made assistant head coach when Bill Belichick joined the Patriots.
Scar not only trained the best offensive linemen of the past decade, but he was also the architect behind the Patriots running game. He was the key piece in the Patriots playoff game plan against the Indianapolis Colts.
At 65, soon to be 66 on February 15th, Scar's about to take on life's next adventure in retirement. If anyone's earned it, it's him.
Offensive coaching assistant Brian Daboll is expected to be named Scarnecchia's replacement and has spent the last season as Scar's shadow. The Patriots have announced newly signed Dave DeGuglielmo as the offensive line coach. DeGuglielmo has spent time with the Giants, Dolphins, and Jets as the OL coach. He's originally from Cambridge and attended Boston University.
Scar joins Pepper Johnson as two of Belichick's closest and longest running coaches to step down this off-season. Running backs coach Ivan Fears is now the longest tenured Patriots coach, joining the franchise in 1991 for two seasons, and ultimately sticking the Patriots ever since 1999.
Congratulations to Scar, and best of luck!
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For those interested, here's when the remaining coaches joined the Patriots
RB Ivan Fears: 91-92, 99- (16)
? Brian Daboll: 00-06, 13- (8)
OC Josh McDaniels: 01-08, 12- (9)
DC Matt Patricia: 04- (9)
S Brian Flores: 04- (Scout for first 4 seasons. Coach for 5)
S&C Harold Nash: 05- (8)
CB Josh Boyer: 06- (7)
ST Scott O'Brien: 09- (4)
DL Patrick Graham: 09- (4)
WR Chad O'Shead: 09- (4)
The Patriots are currently without an official OL coach, although they've recently signed OL coach Dave DeGuglielmo, formerly of the Giants, Dolphins, and Jets. It's possible he will join as an assistant while Daboll runs the unit this upcoming season.
Also missing are a TE coach (George Godsey just reunited with old friend Bill O'Brien in Houston) and an LB coach (Pepper Johnson is also expected to go to Houston with Romeo Crennel).