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Former Chiefs QB Fired After Just 1 Season With New Team

Alex Van Pelt was fired as the Patriots OC despite beating the Bills in Week 18.

By Joe Summers

Dec 1, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt reviews the play card during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Dec 1, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt reviews the play card during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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Update: Conflicting reports emerged Monday morning suggesting that Alex Van Pelt had not been fired alongside Jerod Mayo. What follows is the original piece after the initial report.

Former Chiefs QB Alex Van Pelt, who spent time with the organization in 1993 as a backup for Joe Montana, was officially fired as the offensive coordinator for the Patriots on Sunday after just one year in New England.

Van Pelt previously served as Cleveland's offensive coordinator from 2020-2023 with decent success despite subpar quarterback play, yet his group failed to meet expectations at his new job. After the Patriots pulled off a surprising upset of the Bills to cost New England the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, the franchise quickly fired both him and head coach Jerod Mayo.

There's a special irony in a victory resulting in a firing, yet Van Pelt is still looking for his third team in the last couple of seasons.

Former Chiefs QB Alex Van Pelt Fired as Patriots Offensive Coordinator

Van Pelt never appeared in a game with Kansas City. He was with the franchise in 1993 and joined the team for training camp in 1994 but was cut prior to the season.

During his one year with the Patriots, New England ranked 28th in yards per play (4.8) as the underwhelming roster made it difficult to garner much success on the offensive side of the ball. He's proven to be a talented play-caller in the right system, but he was clearly never a fit with Mayo.

It's not yet clear what teams will be interested in Van Pelt or where he might go. He has little connection to the Chiefs aside from the brief playing stint, so it's unlikely that Kansas City would consider him in the event that Matt Nagy is hired elsewhere ahead of 2025.

Regardless, this move represents a surprising decision from an organization in desperate need of stability. The Chiefs represent the ultimate degree of stability under Andy Reid, and hopefully Van Pelt can find a similar level of success at his next stop.

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