Patriots Issue Message After Former Coach, Exec Dies At 82

The New England Patriots suffered a crushing 21-14 loss on the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Off the field, the team also suffered a loss over the weekend, as it was announced that former coach and front office executive Bobby Grier died at the age of 82.

Grier initially latched on with the Patriots as their offensive backfield coach in 1981, before joining the scouting department from 1982 to 1985. In 1985, Grier transitioned back into coaching for the Pats, reclaiming his offensive backfield coach role, while also adding running game coordinator to his title from 1986 to 1992.

In 1993, Grier moved back to the front office, working as the director of pro scouting until 1995. Grier would become the director of player personnel from 1995 to 1997 before shifting to the vice president of player personnel from 1997 to 2000.

After 20 years with the organization, Grier left the team in 2000, joining the Houston Texans, which is where he spent the next 16 seasons of his career. When his son, Chris, became the Miami Dolphins general manager in 2016, he joined their front office, working as a consultant for the team.

During his lengthy career with New England, Grier wore many hats, and his contributions to the team certainly have not been forgotten. After news of his passing surfaced, the team issued a message on Grier on social media.

“The New England Patriots are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bobby Grier, who served the organization with distinction for nearly two decades in coaching and executive roles,” the team wrote in a post on X.

On the field, the Patriots will have to quickly put their tough loss in the rearview mirror and turn their attention to Week 4. They will take the field against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, with kickoff for that game being scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.