Report: Patriots hire Joe Houston as assistant special teams coach

[Pat Patriot]

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Alabama head coach Nick Saban and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick have a well-documented friendship and that may have helped one of Saban’s assistants make a move to New England.

Bruce Feldman of TheAthletic.com reports that Joe Houston is joining the Patriots as an assistant special teams coach. Houston was a special teams analyst for the Crimson Tide last year.

Houston was a kicker at USC and has also worked as the special teams coordinator at Iowa State.

The Patriots’ previous special teams coordinator Joe Judge also came to the team from Tuscaloosa. They have not named a replacement since Judge left to become the Giants head coach, but last year’s assistant special teams coach Cameron Achord remains on hand.