Former Boston College Star Feels 'Lucky' To Be Patriots Assistant Coach
Vinny DePalma is living the dream.
After a decorated playing career in high school and college, DePalma has found a new journey in the sport that he loves: coaching. The New England Patriots' inside linebackers coach had spent the previous two seasons as a defensive assistant before earning a promotion this past offseason.
It's a fast start for the former BC Eagle. He was originally hired by Jerod Mayo to join his staff in 2024. After that ship sailed and most of those coaches were let go, Mike Vrabel kept him around for the 2025 campaign.
This past offseason, the Patriots promoted inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr to full-time defensive coordinator. That meant that Kuhr, a New Jersey native, was next in line for the promotion. Now in his third season in New England, he's living his dream every time he gets up.
"I try to keep perspective every day. Wake up, get to go to work in the NFL. it's a blessing," DePalma said at mandatory minicamp earlier this month. "As a kid who grew up loving football, the son of a high school football coach, to wake up every morning and coaching the NFL is a dream. I'm trying to keep that in perspective every day, how lucky we are that we get to work here."
DePalma was one of the few coaches retained from Mayo's staff when Vrabel took over. This past offseason, he knew early on that he was in line for the inside linebackers job, something Vrabel told him early in the process. But he wasn't always certain.
Recalling that 2024 season, DePalme wasn't sure if he would remain on the staff after Mayo -- who won just four games in his lone season as the Patriots head coach -- was let go following a Week 18 win against Buffalo.
"I've Been Dealt An Incredible Hand Of Cards"
"It was certainly a welcome-to-the-NFL moment," DePalma said. "You do a full season, and then the whole staff kind of was up in the air. I was very fortunate to be able to be retained, be asked back to come back another year and be part of an organization and then be part of what we started to build."
DePalma was a standout for the Eagles down the road in Chestnut Hill. He played for BC from 2018 to 2023, being named a team captain twice and being named to the All-ACC team twice. In 2022, he led the Eagles with 87 tackles and was named the Swede Nelson Award winner -- given to the college football athlete at a northeastern school that "demonstrates a high esteem for the football code and exemplifies sportsmanship to an outstanding degree."
One season later, DePalma was named to Third Team All-Conference and finished the year with 93 tackles. Less than a year later, he was in the NFL with a headset.
"I loved to play, and I want to play as long as I could. And then once I was done, my goal was always to coach," DePalma said. "I've been dealt an incredible hand of cards just to be able to come to work in this organization from a young age and be around incredible people."
Learn The Name Vinny DePalma
Clearly, DePalma impressed enough as a player to earn a chance as a coach. His leadership on the field has bled into his new job, one that his boss can't say enough good things about.
"He's a great teacher," Vrabel said of DePalma. "You start to evaluate young coaches and their ability to use the technology, the excitement of the PowerPoint, the presentation and all these different things. But how quickly he learned our system and his knowledge, that was an easy move and well deserved for Vinny."
Despite the larger role, DePalma still operates in what some may consider the shadows. It's safe to assume that even the most diehard Patriots fans may not recognize DePalma on the streets of Foxboro this season. Go near BC's campus and that story may change, but the young linebackers coach isn't worried about the fame.
Instead, he's waking up every morning enjoying the next step of his journey.
"Just exciting. Exciting for my fiancee, my family, her family, just super exciting. Like I said, you get to wake up, come to work in the NFL whether you're a defensive assistant or as inside linebackers coach, whatever it is, you're super grateful and you're super excited."
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Former Boston College Star Feels 'Lucky' To Be Patriots Assistant Coach.
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This story was originally published June 28, 2026 at 6:00 AM.