Steve Belichick has been calling defensive plays for the New England Patriots for several weeks.

Belichick is the secondary coach of the Patriots and also the son of Bill Belichick.

Brian Flores called plays for the defense last season, but also was not given the title of defensive coordinator. Flores left the Patriots to become head coach of the Miami Dolphins in the offseason.

After the 2017 season, the Patriots lost Matt Patricia to the Detroit Lions.

“We’ve started to gel with (Steve Belichick), knowing what he’s going to call and the way he thinks through the game,” safety Terrence Brooks said. “I remember before one of his first games calling it, he was a little nervous, and I had to shake him up a little bit and pep talk him up and tell him that he’s one of the best. 

“He was just sitting there, and I was like, ‘C’mon, get it together. Let’s go! You’re one of the best. This is nothing’. And he popped up.”

Steve Belichick dodges questions about his exact duties on game days.

“It’s what you work for — to go out and compete on Sundays,” Belichick said. “We’ve got a great group of defensive players. They play hard. It’s been a lot of fun working with Jerod and everybody on staff.”

“He’s also one of those guys, like his dad, appreciates the history of the game,” Jerod Mayo said, “appreciates the X’s and O’s and how the game’s evolved.”