Besides Bill Belichick, the oldest coach on the Patriots coaching staff is running backs coach Ivan Fears at 66.
Fears has been with the Patriots longer than Belichick, as he has been on the staff since 1999, which came following being with the team in 1991 and 1992.
With Dante Scarnecchia retiring following last season at age 71, it was worth asking Fears what the future holds for him?
It sounds like he plans on returning.
“Oh, I’m enjoying it,” Fears said via video conference over the weekend. “Definitely enjoying it. I love what we do. I love the work. I love being around the players and being a part of putting this thing together and making it happen. The whole deal comes down to, am I moving enough, physically able to do what I need to do out there on the field? And as long as I can do that and enjoy it, then I would love to be out there, no doubt about it. I’m probably just like some of these older players. You’ve kind of got to throw me out. I’m not going to walk out peacefully until you say it’s done.”
With that being said, it appears Troy Brown has been very active in his assistant running backs coach role and it wouldn't be a surprise for him to take over in the lead role in the future.
“I could see that a guy like Troy brings a lot more energy to the group when he’s at practice, and that’s important,” Fears said. “That, to me, is important. And if I can just watch him for a while and hang on and be around, I would love it.
“But it’s getting to the point where a younger guy needs to control that practice. And a guy like Troy is — he’s exciting, plus he’s a player. He’s played this game. He’s got something that I can’t bring, and that’s that player experience level, and that’s special. And fortunately, we’re blessed because he’s special as a person. I’ve enjoyed having him out there. I really have. I’ve really enjoyed it.”
The Patriots running backs room is one of the deepest on the team, although Rex Burkhead and James White are scheduled to be free agents following the year.
