Final head-coaching vacancy on Patriots’ 2023 schedule has been filled

The New England Patriots’ list of 2023 opponents was finalized as soon as the 2022 regular season came to an end. What they did not know at the time, however, was who would coach each of the 14 teams they would eventually face.

Fast forward one month, and the final head-coaching vacancy on New England’s schedule has now been filled: the Indianapolis Colts, who will visit the Patriots at one point, announced former Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen as their new head coach on Tuesday. The Colts will be the 37-year-old’s first head-coaching opportunity.

This means that their opponents will be coached by the following men in 2023:

• Buffalo Bills (H+R): Sean McDermott
• Dallas Cowboys (R): Mike McCarthy
• Denver Broncos (R): Sean Payton
• Indianapolis Colts (H): Shane Steichen
• Kansas City Chiefs (H): Andy Reid
• Las Vegas Raiders (R): Josh McDaniels
• Los Angeles Chargers (H): Brandon Staley
• Miami Dolphins (H+R): Mike McDaniel
• New Orleans Saints (H): Dennis Allen
• New York Giants (R): Brian Daboll
• New York Jets (H+R): Robert Saleh
• Philadelphia Eagles (H): Nick Sirianni
• Pittsburgh Steelers (R): Mike Tomlin
• Washington Commanders (H): Ron Rivera

What can be seen when looking at that list is that New England will not just go up against some of the best teams in the league in 2023 — nine of the 14 made the playoffs last season, with two of them meeting in the Super Bowl — but also two of its former assistant coaches: the Raiders’ Josh McDaniels and the Giants’ Brian Daboll.

Additionally, Bill Belichick and company will face two new coaching hires. Not only did the Colts bring Shane Steichen aboard to take over from interim Jeff Saturday (who himself took over from the fired Frank Reich), the Broncos will also have a new coach. Sean Payton’s predecessor in Denver, meanwhile, joined another club the Patriots will go up against in 2023: Nathaniel Hackett is the Jets’ new offensive coordinator.