Patriots

Patriots to reportedly interview Joe Burrow’s QB coach for offensive coordinator position

Dan Pitcher has served as the Bengals' QB coach since the 2020 season.

Jerod Mayo and the Patriots have been busy searching outside of New England for coaching help. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

By Conor Ryan

January 22, 2024

Another day, another report of the Patriots’ interest in a promising offensive-minded NFL coach.

According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots will interview Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher for the team’s vacant offensive coordinator position on Tuesday.

Rapoport added that Tuesday’s interview will be a Zoom call, with Pitcher also expected to interview with both the Raiders and Saints this week.

With Bill O’Brien leaving New England to join Ohio State, Jerod Mayo and the Patriots have set their sights on several young OC candidates outside of the current Patriots’ organization — including two that are operating under Sean McVay’s coaching tree with the Rams.

Mayo confirmed during a radio spot with WEEI on Monday that the team will interview Rams tight ends coach and ex-Patriots assistant Nick Caley, while Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported over the weekend that New England will interview Rams pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zac Robinson for the same OC role.

Pitcher, 37, stands as another promising coaching prospect due for a larger role during the 2024 season. After a few years spent as an NFL scout, Pitcher joined the Bengals organization in 2016.

He has served as Cincinnati’s quarterbacks coach since the 2020 season — the same year that the Bengals selected Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in that year’s draft.

Over that stretch, Burrow has established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league (when healthy), with the Bengals advancing to the Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022.

It’s clear that the Patriots are doing their due diligence when it comes to interviewing top coaching assistants across the league. But Pitcher may not be on the interview circuit for long.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Tennessee Titans are set to hire Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their new head coach. With Callahan leaving Cincinnati, the door is open for Pitcher to take over Callahan’s post as the Bengals’ OC moving forward.