This week, it was reported that Patriots safeties coach Brian Belichick and cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino weren’t returning to New England. Since that time, Mike Vrabel has added two defensive back coaches who worked with him in Tennessee.
A day after the Patriots brought on veteran safeties coach Scott Booker, the team is bringing in another experienced coach for their secondary. According to Matt Zenitz for CBS Sports/ 247 Sports, the Patriots are adding Indianapolis Colts assistant defensive backs coach Justin Hamilton to their coaching staff.
A former NFL defensive back, Hamilton is an experienced defensive coach who got his NFL coaching start with Vrabel in Tennessee.
A versatile athlete, Hamilton played receiver, tailback, and safety at Virginia Tech. He was a seventh-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2006 and appeared in 12 NFL games in three seasons. Hamilton started his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Virginia-Wise (2011-2013) before coaching linebackers at VMI from 2014-2017.
In 2018, Hamilton returned to Virginia Tech as the director of player development. He coached safeties in 2019 and then served as the defensive coordinator from 2020-2021.
In 2023, Hamilton received his first NFL coaching job in Tennessee when he was hired by Vrabel to be the Titans defensive quality control coach. When Vrabel was fired, Hamilton was hired by the Colts last year as the team’s assistant defensive backs coach.
Hamilton will come to New England with plenty of familiar faces. He’ll join a defensive staff that includes former Titans coaches Terrell Williams, Zak Kuhr, Clinton McMillan, and Booker.
After the Patriots let go of Belichick and Pellegrino, Vrabel has worked quickly to bring in multiple defensive coaches. Booker coached safeties in Tennessee. The Patriots also added Kevin Richardson II, who was an assistant defensive backs coach at the University of Illinois.