Long Time Pats Assistant Dante Scarnecchia Retires
Pats news release…
FOXBOROUGH,
Mass. – The New England Patriots announced today that assistant head
coach/offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia will retire after 32
seasons in the NFL, including 30
seasons with the team (1982-88, 1991-2013). The Patriots also announced
the addition of Dave DeGuglielmo (pronounced – Day-ghoul-YELL-mo) to
Bill Belichick's staff. He will serve as the new Patriots offensive line
coach in 2014.
“Dante Scarnecchia has been the only coaching constant since I
purchased the team in 1994,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert
Kraft. “Not coincidentally, he retires
as the only coach to have been a part of all seven Super Bowl teams in
Patriots franchise history.
I want to thank Dante for his leadership,
professionalism and always putting the team first. For as long as I have
known him, he was always the first to arrive
in the morning and among the last to leave. He didn't demand respect
from his players. He earned it. I loved watching Dante lead by example,
especially when he would run stride for stride with his players during
their conditioning runs.
He was a coach who
always stressed technique and fundamentals and helped players reach
their full potential. At training camp, his colorful, constructive,
coaching critiques made him a fan favorite. His presence on the Patriots
sidelines will be missed by our coaches, players
and fans alike.”
Scarnecchia was the longest tenured NFL coach this past season. The
last NFL coach to garner at least 30 seasons with one team was Dick
Hoak, who spent an NFL-record
35 seasons as an assistant with Pittsburgh. Since entering the NFL in
1982, Scarnecchia has spent all but two seasons (1989-90) with the
Patriots. He was an offensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts
during those two seasons.
“Dante Scarnecchia is a Patriot and NFL legend who defied the phrase
‘not for long,'” said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. “In an
industry of constant change,
Dante remained a fixture here for the simple reason that he helped
every player reach his highest potential, regardless of who he was, how
he was acquired or how much raw talent he had.
In whatever category a
coach can be assessed – evaluator, teacher, motivator,
problem solver, disciplinarian, team player, winner – Dante is as good
as it gets. As many games as he helped us win and as much as we would
like to work with Dante forever, we are blessed with the opportunity to
have been with him as long as we were.”
Scarnecchia has been on the Patriots coaching staff for 18 of the
franchise's 21 playoff seasons and has coached in 39 of the 43 playoff
games in team history, including
each of the team's seven Super Bowls.
Scarnecchia coached the offensive line for the last 15 seasons for the
Patriots, a position he coached for 28 of his 44 seasons in the coaching
profession. He originally
joined the Patriots and made his NFL coaching debut in 1982. He coached
the Patriots tight ends and specials teams for seven seasons (1982-88)
before moving to Indianapolis in 1989. After two seasons (1989-90) as
the
Colts
offensive line coach, he re-joined the Patriots in 1991. After two
seasons as a tight ends and special teams coach on Dick MacPherson's
staff, Scarnecchia was appointed
special assistant on Bill Parcells' staff from 1993-94, which was
re-defined as defensive assistant from 1995-96. He resumed special teams
responsibilities on Pete Carroll's staff in 1997 before being named the
offensive line coach in 1999.
When Belichick
was named the Patriots head coach in 2000, he made Scarnecchia his
assistant head coach/offensive line coach, positions he held for each of
the last 14 seasons, including each of the Patriots' three Super Bowl
Championship teams.
He began his coaching career in 1970 as the offensive line coach at
California Western University. His coaching career led him to Iowa State
(1973-74), Southern Methodist
(1975-76), Pacific (1977-78), Northern Arizona (1979) and back to
Southern Methodist (1980-81) before entering the NFL ranks as a member
of Ron Meyer's staff in 1982.
DAVE DEGUGLIELMO
Dave DeGuglielmo is a 22-year coaching veteran, including nine seasons
in the NFL as an assistant for the New York Jets (2012), Miami Dolphins
(2009-11) and New York
Giants (2004-08).
DeGuglielmo joined the Giants in 2004 as the assistant offensive
line/quality control coach before being elevated to assistant offensive
line coach in 2005. During
his tenure, the Giants were one of only four NFL teams to have put
together a 4.0-yard average per rush attempt or better in each of those
four seasons. In 2008, the Giants led the league and established a
franchise record with 2,518 rushing yards and 5.0
yards per carry.
He joined the Miami Dolphins staff on Jan. 15, 2009
and served three seasons as the offensive line coach. Under
DeGuglielmo's guidance, the Dolphins' offensive line blocked for a
running game that gained 1,987 yards in 2011 and produced Reggie
Bush's first career 1,000-yard season. Following three seasons in
Miami, Deguglielmo spent the 2012 season as the offensive line coach for
the New York Jets.
Before entering the NFL coaching ranks, DeGuglielmo spent five seasons
(1999-2003) under Hall of Fame coach Lou Holtz at the University of
South Carolina working
with the offensive line and tight ends.
He began his coaching career as
a graduate assistant at Boston College (1991-92) before moving to his
alma mater, Boston University (1993-96) and then the University of
Connecticut (1997-98). A native of Lexington, Mass.,
DeGuglielmo was a four-year letter-winning offensive lineman at Boston
University (1987-90), while playing both guard and center.
–PATRIOTS —
