Report: Greg Schiano left Patriots with intention of returning to Rutgers

Greg Schiano was set to serve as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots this season before he shockingly resigned back in March, and the position he may have been eyeing when he left has now opened up.

Zach Barnett of FootballScoop.com reports that Schiano left the Patriots because he wanted to make sure he was available if the Rutgers head coaching job opened up at some point during or after the 2019 season. The Scarlet Knights fired head coach Chris Ash on Sunday in the wake of the team’s 52-0 loss against Michigan, and there have been rumblings that Schiano is their top target.

According to Barnett, Schiano informed Bill Belichick of his desire to coach at Rutgers again, and the two agreed that it would not be in anyone’s best interest for him to remain with the Patriots and potentially leave in November or December. As it turns out, the Rutgers job opened up much sooner.

Schiano was the head coach at Rutgers from 2001-2011, and his run with the team was extremely successful. He was 49-28 during his final six seasons and led the Scarlet Knights to five bowl wins during that span. He then left to take a job as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was fired after two seasons.

You can understand why Rutgers would want to bring Schiano back, and the coach may appreciate going back to a place where he’s appreciated and already has such a long history. Schiano has been looking for the right head coaching job since the embarrassing situation that played out with Tennessee, and his old job may be the best opportunity he has.