After the New England Patriots fell to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t waste time looking back. Within days, he was already reshaping his coaching staff for the upcoming season. Among the moves he made were a few names that took a meaningful leap forward.

“Newly-hired BJ Edmonds has initially been listed by the #Patriots as a defensive assistant, per @MikeReiss. With Vinny DePalma recently promoted to LBs coach, New England clearly wants to keep investing in their coaching pipeline,” Patriots insider Carlos A. Lopez reported on February 22.

The Edmonds hire tells you a lot about how Vrabel operates. BJ Edmonds spent last summer interning with the Patriots, and now he has a full-time seat on an NFL coaching staff that just made it to the big game. So, this is his first job at the professional level.

Just over a month ago, Edmonds had accepted the running backs coach position at Southern Miss. Then New England called, and he didn’t hesitate.

The move makes sense when you trace where he came from. Edmonds spent the two seasons prior to Southern Miss at Duke University. There, he worked as a defensive analyst under head coach Manny Diaz. 

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During that stretch, cornerback Chandler Rivers earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2024 and Second Team All-ACC recognition in 2025. The Blue Devils also ranked second in the ACC in passing yards allowed per game at 213.5 in 2024 and won the 2025 ACC Championship Game, finishing 18-9 over the two seasons Edmonds was on staff.

Before Duke, Edmonds spent three seasons at Utah State. First, as a defensive recruiting analyst in 2021 and then as a defensive graduate assistant in 2022 and 2023. His first coaching job came as a defensive graduate assistant at the NAIA program Kansas Wesleyan in 2020, where the team finished 8–2.

As a player, Edmonds was a four-year starter and defensive back at Arkansas State. He played 49 games from 2016 to 2019. He recorded 265 tackles, eight interceptions, 19 passes defended, and three forced fumbles over his career. 

In short, the defensive bloodline has run through every chapter of his career, and now it continues in Foxborough. But Edmonds wasn’t the only one on Mike Vrabel’s staff to find a new role this offseason. Another promotion came with just as much significance.

Mike Vrabel rewards Vinny DePalma’s grind

Vinny DePalma was promoted after defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr was elevated to replace Terrell Williams, who had held the defensive coordinator role since January 2025. DePalma is now the new inside linebackers coach. 

That promotion didn’t come out of nowhere. When Williams was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2025, he called plays only in the season opener against the Raiders before stepping away from game duties. Kuhr took over play-calling responsibilities, and DePalma’s own role expanded alongside him. 

Vinny, who is a linebacker turned coach, brings a legitimate playing pedigree to the role. DePalma played all six seasons of his college career at Boston College, suiting up for the Eagles from 2018 to 2023. 

He saved his best for last, closing out his college career with 92 total tackles in 2023. He joined the Patriots coaching staff in 2024 as a defensive assistant, and in just two seasons, he has moved into a full position coaching role on a team that just played in the Super Bowl.

Amid all of this, there is one more name worth watching. After Vrabel confirmed that Williams had been declared cancer-free, the organization moved swiftly. As he is transitioning into a new high-ranking role within the organization. Although the Patriots have not yet officially disclosed his exact title or responsibilities.