New Detroit Lions coach Matt Patricia. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Patriots need a new defensive coordinator now that Matt Patricia's taken the Lions' head coaching job.
No one knows exactly what to expect from the well-educated and football savvy Patricia, but he said Detroit fans shouldn't hold out hope for another Bill Belichick.
"There's only one coach Belichick," he said as he was introduced as the Lions' coach. "That's it. He's amazing. He's in New England. I'm Matt Patricia, I'm kind of my own person, I'm my own guy, I've got my own style. But I certainly will take all those lessons that I learned, from how to teach and coach and the fundamental beliefs we had in New England, which I think are strong."
Former Belichick assistants are just 156-and-227 as N-F-L head coaches.
Al Groh worked with him for one year in Cleveland. He's the only Belichick disciple with a record better than .500. He led the Jets to a 9-and-7 record in 2000.
Bill O'Brien's 31-and-33 for the Texans. Eric Mangini struggled with the Jets and Browns. Heck - even Nick Saban faltered for a couple years in Miami before thriving at Alabama.
Hear more of Patricia's praise for Bill Belichick below.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman reports