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COACHING

John Decoster joined the Patriots in 2026 as an offensive line assistant after spending the past two seasons as assistant offensive line coach at the University of Florida.

Decoster helped guide Gators center Jake Slaughter to back-to-back First-Team All-SEC honors in 2024 and 2025 along with a AP First-Team All-America selection in 2024 and a Second-Team All-America selection in 2025 via the Athletic and USA Today. He also coached tackle Austin Barber to Third-Team All-SEC honors in 2025 and a Senior Bowl invite.

Before landing in Gainesville, Decoster coached offense for the Cleveland Browns, first as an offensive quality control coach in 2021 and eventually as an offensive assistant from 2022 to 2023. During his three years in Cleveland, the Browns ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing.

In 2020, Decoster joined Old Dominion as tight ends coach, although the team's season was canceled.

From 2017 to 2019, he served as a graduate assistant coaching the tight ends at LSU. In his time in Baton Rouge, Decoster helped send Foster Moreau, Stephen Sullivan and Thaddeus Moss to the NFL, with the former two being drafted in the fourth round and seventh round, respectively. In his final season with the Tigers, he helped the team go 13-0 and win the 2019 National Championship, with Moss setting the school record for receptions (47) and receiving yards (570) by a tight end.

Prior to his time at LSU, Decoster wore multiple hats for the West Virginia State football program from 2015 to 2016, serving as the offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator, strength coach and travel coordinator.

Decoster began his coaching career at Nevada, where he was a graduate assistant coaching the offensive line from 2013 to 2014. There, he helped develop future guard Joel Bitonio, who was named to the All-MWC First Team in 2013, became the school's highest-ever draft selection in 2014 (35th overall), and has been a seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro with the Cleveland Browns.

PLAYING

Decoster was a four-year starter as a tackle at Louisiana from 2007-10, where he helped anchor an offense that finished fifth in the FBS rushing in 2007 and 2008.

PERSONAL

Decoster earned his bachelor's degree in management information systems from the University of Louisiana and began his career in Baton Rouge as an IT project manager before transitioning into coaching in 2013. He later completed master's degrees in educational leadership at the University of Nevada and in liberal arts at LSU. He and his wife, Amber, are the parents of two daughters, Aria and Mia, and a son, Zeke.