Can Adrian Klemm Fix Patriots Offensive Line?

New England Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm knew he would be facing a significant challenge when he accepted the job in February. Although he is 23 years removed from the start of his professional career, Klemm is glad to be be back where it all began. 

“It wasn’t a tough decision for me, to be honest. It was a no-brainer,” Klemm told reporters at Gillette Stadium earlier this week. “It was a good opportunity for me to come back and contribute in some small way to a place that changed my life forever. It set the foundation for where I’m at right now in terms of my career.”

It is no secret that the 45-year-old is quite familiar with the Patriots organization. Klemm was selected by the team in the second round (46th overall) of the 2000 NFL Draft. As such, he will forever hold the distinction of becoming the organization’s first draft pick under head coach Bill Belichick. Klemm spent five years with the Patriots from 2000-04, appearing in 26 games with 10 starts as a member of three Super Bowl championship teams (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) during his time in New England.

In 2008, Klemm transitioned from the gridiron to the coaching sidelines. He spent three years at SMU, first as a graduate assistant, before taking on the duties as offensive line coach from 2009-11. He joined the coaching staff at UCLA in 2012, spending five seasons with the Bruins as run game coordinator and offensive line coach.

Following a two-year hiatus, Klemm returned to coaching in 2019. He joined the Pittsburgh Steelers, first as assistant offensive line coach (from 2019-20) before taking over the lead duties in 2021. However, with only two games remaining on the 2021 regular-season schedule, he accepted an offer from the University of Oregon, to become their associate head coach, run-game coordinator and offensive line coach.

Largely due to the prowess he showed in coordinating Oregon’s run-blocking schemes, Klemm was considered a hot coaching commodity on the market this offseason. The Patriots prioritized him as their first choice to take the reins of an offensive line that struggled mightily in 2022. Under the direction of former coach Matt Patricia, the unit was routinely plagued by injury and inconsistent play. As a result, the offense regressed to a subpar level in both pass protection and run blocking. 

Still, Klemm is aware of the notable positives which he is set to inherit in the coming months. In addition to longtime captain David Andrews, line stalwarts such as tackle Trent Brown and guards Michael Onwenu and Cole Strange give the Pats some solid ground on which to build. 

“There’s a foundation set … some good things to build on here, some positive things,” Klemm said.

Accordingly, both Klemm and the organization are certain that he is the right person to rebuild their fractured offensive line. While desire and discipline are key elements in his approach, it is his devotion to teaching which has set him apart from his peers … and his experience in New England only strengthens his belief that he is in the right place to impart some much-needed wisdom and counsel.

“This is a place that takes a tremendous amount of pride in bringing the right type of guys and teaching. I want to be a teacher, and not just a coach, and not just a motivator.”

With offseason workouts set to ramp up in the coming days and weeks, Klemm’s Patriots journey is about to come full circle. 

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