Skip to main content
Join

Report: New England Patriots hiring Ohio State's Riley Larkin as an offensive assistant

by:Alex Byington•about 12 hours•

_AlexByington

NFL: New England Patriots Mike Vrabel Press Conference
Jan 13, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; Mike Vrabel addresses media at a press conference to announce his hiring as the New England Patriots head coach at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is reportedly dipping back into his college roots to nab an up-and-coming offensive assistant from Ohio State.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Vrabel and the Patriots are expected to hire Buckeyes offensive assistant Riley Larkin, who previously worked with Ohio State‘s quarterbacks during their national championship run this past season.

Larkin is a former quarterback at John Carroll University, where newly-rehired Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels played in the late 1990s. Larkin spent the 2023-24 seasons in Columbus, working with the Ohio State quarterbacks, after serving as an offensive analyst at Middle Tennessee in 2022.

The Kent, Ohio native was previously a high school quarterbacks coach at Ravenwood (Brentwood, Tenn.) High in 2021 and McLean (Va.) High in 2019-20 following his college career at John Carroll (2015-18).

New England Patriots, Mike Vrabel hire Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator

According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Patriots are expected to hire McDaniels after interviewing with the team on Tuesday. The team announced the move shortly after.

McDaniels is very familiar with the Patriots as he was the offensive coordinator for the franchise two different times. He was on the coaching staff when Vrabel played for the Patriots from 2001 to 2008.

In 2001, the Patriots hired McDaniels to be a personal assistant. He was promoted to defensive assistant in 2002 before becoming the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2004. After having that position for two seasons, McDaniels was promoted to offensive coordinator. He helped the Patriots have an undefeated regular season in 2007 and reach the Super Bowl that season.

After the 2008 season, the Denver Broncos hired McDaniels as the next head coach. The Broncos fired McDaniels during the 2010 season when the team was 3-9.

In 2011, Josh McDaniels became the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the St. Louis Rams. That lasted for one season because he returned to the Patriots as their offensive coordinator. McDaniels was with the Patriots for 10 seasons and helped the team three Super Bowls.

The hiring of McDaniels is a big move for Mike Vrabel who was hired to be the Patriots’ head coach on Jan. 12. Vrabel joins New England after being the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2023. During his six seasons in Nashville, Vrabel posted a 54-45 record, led the Titans to three playoff appearances two AFC South titles and an appearance in the AFC Championship game in 2019.

Brian Jones contributed to this report.