"I don’t know if I like that fit" "Great pickup": Packers fans divided over DeMarcus Covington signing as DC

Former New England Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington is headed to Green Bay.

After being with the New England Patriots coaching staff since 2017 and serving as their defensive coordinator last season, his lone season with that title, he was not retained upon the hiring of new head coach, Mike Vrabel, this offseason.

With Covington searching for a new home, he agreed to become the Green Bay Packers defensive line coach in 2025. ESPN's Rob Demovsky tweeted:

"The Packers are planning to hire former Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington as their new defensive line coach and promote Sean Mannion to quarterbacks coach, sources told ESPN. Contracts not signed yet but agreements in place. Deals should be finalized soon."

When Covington became Green Bay's new D-line coach, fans had mixed reactions. Some weren't too thrilled about the hire, and some questioned whether Covington would succeed with Green Bay, given the Patriots' disaster in the last few years.

"I don’t know if I like that fit," a fan wrote.

"Patriots fans are thrilled that he’s gone. Idk how I feel about that," a fan said.

"The Patriots defense was horrid last year with the front being the worst in the NFL They never got sacks or even touched the QB," a fan pointed out.

"I'm not sure either of these do much for me. #Packers," a fan replied.

While some fans were questioning the hire and didn't think it was a good hire, others thought it was a good hire for the team. Covington will have a better chance to succeed outside of New England, while others believe he's done a decent job as a coach in the NFL so far for his age. Some Packers fans are excited to see how Covington does with the franchise. Here's how other fans reacted to the hiring:

"Covington is a great pickup," a fan wrote.

"Glad Covington got a job somewhere else. He’s a good DL coach, just thrust into the DC spot without any real experience calling plays and it didn’t go well. Hope he succeeds in GB," a fan replied.

"Demarcus Covington is a front 4/7 guy this is great for him going forward. Being able to coach outside of the Patriots organization," a fan said.

"Patriots defense was stout last year, and we saw Christian Gonzalez become an All-Pro. I love adding Covington to our group and can’t wait to see what he brings to the squad. #GoPackGo," a fan replied.

Exploring DeMarcus Covington's football background

DeMarcus Covington during New England Patriots v Las Vegas Raiders (Image Source: Getty)

DeMarcus Covington, 35, has a ton of football experience for his age.

Covington played college football for the Samford Bulldogs from 2007 until 2010 as a wide receiver and registered 62 catches for 586 yards and two touchdowns.

He began his coaching career a year after graduating, serving as a defensive graduate assistant with UAB. From 2013 to 2016, Covington held coaching positions at Ole Miss, UT Martin, and Eastern Illinois.

Covington was hired by the New England Patriots as a coaching assistant in 2017 and was on the staff up until last season. Now, he joins his second team in the NFL as a member of the Green Bay Packers coaching staff.