FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) – The New England Patriots added another coach to the staff on Monday, but the position of offensive coordinator remains unfilled.
The Super Bowl champions hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Pete Mangurian – as the tight ends coach. The team’s announcement included a complete roster of the coaching staff but no one to replace Charlie Weis, who left to become head coach at Notre Dame.
Patriots spokesman Stacey James said the list was simply the most up-to-date available.
The possibility has always existed that coach Bill Belichick would leave the position open, taking some of the responsibilities himself and splitting the rest among his assistants. A month after the Super Bowl, that seems more likely.
The Patriots also lost defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel from the coaching staff that won three NFL championships in four years. Crennel left to take over the Cleveland Browns immediately after the 24-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.
He was replaced by defensive backfield coach Eric Mangini less than a week after the title game.
Mangurian has 25 years of coaching experience, including three as the head coach at Cornell. He was the offensive coordinator in Atlanta under Dan Reeves in 2003.
Also Monday, the Patriots re-signed fullback Patrick Pass, an unrestricted free agent. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Used primarily as a blocker, Pass had 39 carries for 151 yards and 28 catches for 215 yards – all career bests – last season for the Super Bowl champions. His 39 rushes were more than his first four seasons combined, and third on the team.
Pass was a seventh-round pick in the 2000 draft.
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