After three substandard years as the Detroit Lions head coach, Matt Patricia is reportedly returning to the team where he forged a reputation as a defensive mastermind.
According to multiple reports Friday afternoon, Patricia is rejoining the New England Patriots to serve as an assistant in a variety of roles.
The news, which was first reported by The Boston Globe, comes after the former Patriots defensive coordinator left to become the Lions head coach in 2018. However, the 46-year-old was fired midseason in November — along with Lions general manager Bob Quinn — with the team on its way to its third-straight last-place finish in the NFC North under his reign.