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New England Patriots: Examining team’s future following Super Bowl LII loss

By Tom Dufton

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: The scoreboard show the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 04: The scoreboard show the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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The darkest hour for the New England Patriots is now upon us with many questions surrounding the franchise.

As many people stared at their TV in disbelief of the New England Patriots not winning Super Bowl LII, the same thought was going through everyone’s head:  what now?

Following the moment the Philadelphia Eagles forced Tom Brady to attempt a Hail Mary prayer that was not answered, the question of what the Patriots will do following the season became ever so prominent.

Coaching staff changes

With Matt Patricia  leaving for head coaching jobs, the Patriots are left with some holes to fill.  Who will be the next offensive and defensive coordinator?  While the team typically promotes from within, there have been rumors that former Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Shiano could be in line for defensive coordinator.  On the offensive side, wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea appears to be the front runner.

But then again, who knows?

The future of Rob Gronkowski

After losing Super Bowl LII, reporters asked Rob Gronkowski what he plans to do next. The All-Pro tight end answered by saying the following, via the Boston Herald:

"“I’m not ready for these type of questions right now. I’m going to sit down, reflect on the season, talk to my teammates. We fought all year long, all the receivers, running backs, linemen. We’ve been all working together. I’m just going to reflect on the season with all the boys and see what happens.”More from Chowder and Champions3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster DeadlineMLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 SeasonRed Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win"

This would be absolutely devastating for the New England Patriots as an organization if Gronk decides he doesn’t want to come back and actually does retire.

Looking toward the future

For those of you keeping track, there are four people who are leaving or retiring (Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia, Rob Gronkowski, and Malcolm Butler).

Butler didn’t seem to happy with being benched during the Super Bowl. Since he is an unrestricted free agent this year I wouldn’t be surprised to see him walk. But the big issue is the Patriots don’t have a young talented quarterback in case Brady retires (well, we HAD one). They will have new offensive schemes and defensive schemes with the new coordinators.

Next: New England Patriots: One big reason Rob Gronkowski should not retire

It doesn’t seem like the Patriots are built for the future. Robert Kraft has built an amazing run with the New England Patriots, and the continued success the Patriots had for 18 years should not go unappreciated. But this could be a dark time for them given the circumstances they are under.

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