Sports | May 14, 2018 11:22 am

Bill Belichick Brings in MMA Expert to Work with Patriots Pass Rushers

Martial arts expert Joe Kim has previously consulted with the Chiefs, Browns and other NFL teams.

Martial arts expert Joe Kim (right) working with the Kansas City Chiefs. (Via Joe Kim on http://www.kimsmartialartsavon.com.)

By Evan Bleier @itishowitis

He won’t be teaching them to sweep the leg, but a Cleveland-area Taekwondo master will be imparting some of his martial arts expertise to New England Patriots pass rushers before the next NFL season starts.

An MMA expert who has previously worked with teams including Kansas City, Cleveland, Washington, and the New York Giants, Joe Kim first worked in the NFL under Bill Belichick in Cleveland in 1992.

Kim will work in tandem with New England defensive line coach Brendan Daly and offer advice to Patriots inside and outside rushers on how to improve their hand-fighting skills.

Tied for 16th in the NFL last year with 34 regular-season sacks, the Patriots defenders can use all the help they can get, so hiring an unorthodox pass-rush consultant isn’t really that surprising.