The New England Patriots have had a relatively quiet offseason, but decided to add former NCAA coach Bret Bielema to their staff.
Bielema most recently coached at the University of Arkansas, where he took over a team in shambles. The 48-year-old went 3-9 in his first season with the Razorbacks, then jumped to winning between seven and eight games for three straight years. In 2017, Bielema dropped back to 4-8, which led to his eventual dismissal.
He winded up with a 29-34 record as head coach for Arkansas, including winning two of three bowl games.
Prior to his stint with the Razorbacks, Bielema spent seven years coaching the Wisconsin Badgers. There, he saw much more success and was consistently ranked in the AP top 25. His total record in Wisconsin was 68-24, but lost four out of six bowl appearances.
Now, the former college coach will re-join forces James White, Trey Flowers, and Deatrich Wise Jr., all of which he coached throughout their college careers.
Bielema’s’ title as of now is a consultant to head coach Bill Belichick. Belichick is widely recognized as one of the greatest coaches in sports history so it will be interesting to see what specific roles Bielema is asked to provide assistance in.
