Report: Bret Bielema telling people he will be Patriots’ defensive coordinator

Bret Bielema quietly joined the Bill Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots after he was fired as the head coach at Arkansas in 2017, and he has apparently carved out a big role for himself and is expecting to take on much more responsibility next season.

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reports that Bielema has been telling people he will be named the Patriots’ defensive coordinator in 2019. While there have been rumblings that former Ohio State assistant Greg Schiano could join New England in that role, Volin notes that it would be unlike Belichick to make an outside hire for his defensive coordinator position.

Bielema was the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin from 2004-2005 before being elevated to head coach. He was the head coach of the Badgers from 2006-2012 before landing at Arkansas.

With current Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores already having a head coaching job lined up, there is expected to be some shuffling with Belichick’s staff this offseason. New England’s defense has looked much better down the stretch and in its two playoff games, so perhaps Bielema has played a big part in that recent success.