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Patriots defensive coordinator Greg Schiano steps down

Greg Schiano has agreed to return to Rutgers to serve as the head football coach. (Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)
Associated Press
Greg Schiano has agreed to return to Rutgers to serve as the head football coach. (Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Greg Schiano has stepped down as defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots, less than two months after taking the job.

The Patriots, who never announced the hiring of the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Rutgers head coach, confirmed his departure by posting statements from Schiano and coach Bill Belichick on the team’s website.

Schiano said he needs to “spend more time on my faith and family.”

Schiano went 11-21 in two seasons with the Buccaneers and spent two years as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State before he was announced in late 2017 as the new coach at Tennessee. But the school backed out of the deal after a backlash over Schiano’s connection to the Penn State sexual abuse case.