The Patriots will interview Cardinals associate head coach/wide receivers coach Shawn Jefferson for their offensive coordinator position on Friday, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.

Jefferson is the fifth known candidate for the job, a pool that now includes three former players from Bill Belichick-coached teams after Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell and University of Oregon associate head coach Adrian Klemm reportedly agreed to interview.

Jefferson played wide receiver for the Patriots from 1996-1999 and overlapped with Belichick in his first season, when Belichick was the team’s defensive coordinator. Jefferson enjoyed a 13-year playing career that ended in 2003 with the Lions.

Two years later, he kicked off his coaching career as a low-level assistant in Detroit, where he eventually moved to wide receivers coach. Over four ensuing stops, Jefferson coached wideouts for 16 straight seasons, with his last two coming in Arizona. The Cardinals are currently conducting their own head-coaching search after firing Kliff Kingsbury, which has Jefferson’s future with the team in limbo.

His earlier stints included two in the AFC East with the Jets (2019-20) and Dolphins (2016-18).

Jefferson, 53, has worked under several head coaches with connections to Belichick including Kingsbury, a 2003 Patriots draft pick, former Jets and Dolphins coach Adam Gase and one-time Lions coach Jim Schwartz. In Detroit, he helped mold Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who once called Jefferson the best receivers coach “I’ve ever seen.”

The other known candidates for the Patriots’ offensive coordinator vacancy are tight ends coach Nick Caley and Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, whose contract will reportedly expire at the end of February. Caley interviewed with the team on Wednesday, though his contract is also up.

INTERNATIONAL GAME: The New England Patriots are going to play a regular-season game in Germany in 2023. But beyond that, there’s a lot we don’t know.

The NFL made the announcement that the Patriots are one of five designated teams for international games this season. The Pats are joined by the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans, Jacksonville Jaguars and Kansas City Chiefs

The Patriots are set to be the home team for this game, which means that their opponent will come from their list of 2023 road opponents.

The Bills and Chiefs were also designated as home teams for international games, so that rules them out. That leaves seven possibilities: Colts, Chargers, Dolphins, Saints, Jets, Eagles, Commanders.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Seattle Seahawks in Munich in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Germany this season. The destination cities for the 2023 games will be announced later this year. The NFL previously confirmed that Munich and Frankfurt will host games in Germany over the next four years.

Opponents, dates and times for the games will be released when the full schedule is announced later this year.

There will be no international game in Mexico in 2023 due to renovations taking place in Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

New England is one of three teams who have gone a perfect 3-0 when playing outside the United States as part of the NFL International Series. They didn’t just win, either. They crushed their opponents, winning by a combined score of 113-22 across the three games.

“We are thrilled to be selected to play in Germany this year,” Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said. “We are undefeated in our three previous international games, thanks in part to the outstanding support from our fans. We know that some of our most passionate fans reside in Germany, and we look forward to finally playing a game there. We know the fans will create an amazing atmosphere. We are sure it will be a memorable experience and one of the highlights of the 2023 season.”

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