Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer January 14, 2024, 6:00 a.m. ET
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- Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter for ESPN covering the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Short-term thoughts and notes surrounding the New England Patriots and the NFL:
1. Wolf well positioned: One of the next critical steps for the Patriots following the departure of coach Bill Belichick will be in their personnel department, clarifying roles and ultimately determining who runs the show after Belichick had the final say for the past two decades. With the No. 3 overall pick, this is arguably the team's most important draft since selecting quarterback Drew Bledsoe first overall in 1993.
Some key points from team and league sources:
Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft have never hired a general manager in their 30 years as owners. Bobby Grier and Scott Pioli held the title of vice president of player personnel, while Nick Caserio and Matt Groh took the title of director of player personnel. This story suggests that the hire is unlikely to be a GM given the authority to run the entire football operation. Instead, the Krafts will look for someone to oversee the staff and work with new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Scouting director Eliot Wolf, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame executive Ron Wolf, is viewed by some in the organization as well-positioned to be the choice for more responsibility and potentially lead recruiting efforts. Before joining New England, he was the Browns' assistant general manager (2018-19). In some ways, the past four years have been an extended interview for him. The Krafts' familiarity with him probably works in his favor.
Interviews with external candidates are still ongoing. But with the current staff remaining in place at least through the draft — led by Wolf, player personnel director Matt Groh, senior recruiter Pat Stewart, pro scouting director Steve Cargile and college scouting coordinator Camren Williams — The Krafts appear to be of the opinion that there is no need to rush.
2. Missed Opportunity?: As confident as the Krafts are about Mayo – and their hiring of former head coaches Belichick and Pete Carroll deserves respect – some executives and coaches around the NFL are surprised they haven't conducted interviews with other candidates, if only to gather information that could benefit the organization in the future. What was the rush? That's one of several questions to be asked of the Krafts character at Mayo's official unveiling on Wednesday. This is about their decision-making process (which goes back to last offseason when they incorporated succession plans into Mayo's contract) and how some team sources believed the domino effect of that decision led to a more divided coaching staff.
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3. Mayo's Philosophy: Mayo conducted bi-weekly interviews with reporters throughout the season, providing insight into his coaching philosophy and his emphasis on “conceptual learning.” Following his appointment as the team's 15th head coach on Friday, it's time to review his insights:
“We always talk about teaching them how to think, not what to think. 'It's your defense, have ownership, responsibility, here are the keys.'”
“The scheme is one thing, but I really believe it’s about the players. Our Xs and O’s are fundamentally very solid, but it’s about having good players.”
“I like to tell players that as soon as they step on the field it’s a blank canvas. So fill it up, but make sure it stays on the canvas.”
“I love working out, but I don't do it to pay the bills. I do it for the love of the game and the love of player development.”
4. Mayo takes the fourth step: Another aspect that makes Mayo's hire unique: He is only the fourth head coach since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 to have played for his team's previous coach on the same team. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the others are Mike Tice of the Vikings in 2002 (under Dennis Green), Jack Pardee of Washington in 1978 (under George Allen) and Bart Starr of Green Bay in 1975 (under Dan Devine).
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5. Goodbye, podium: Mayo prefers to sit among those he addresses rather than speak to them from behind a podium, so daily media briefings (and perhaps even team meetings) will have a markedly different feel. Mayo's official introduction as the 15th head coach in franchise history on Wednesday could provide the first taste of that.
6. They said it: “He knows how to take the young guys and adapt them and bring them up to speed with the older guys so you can all see one vision. That's one of the things he likes to say: 'I don't care if I'm right or you're right, I want us to see the same picture.' – Patriots fullback Matthew Judon on Mayo, during of an appearance Friday on ESPN's NFL Live.
7. Appeal: Former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was among those in attendance at the team auditorium on Thursday when Kraft and Belichick appeared together to announce their separation. Seated in the back include: defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino, director of football/head coaching administration Berj Najarian, director of scouting administration Nancy Meier, video archivist Jimmy Dee and team sports nutritionist Ted Harper. Speaking without the aid of written notes, emphasized Belichick, who said he didn't want to leave anyone out, particularly Najarian and Meier as those who have been with him “since day one.”
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8. International plans? After “playing” a game in Frankfurt, Germany during the 2023 season, the Patriots could have their passes punched again in 2024 – this time as a “road” team. The NFL announced Thursday that the Bears (London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium) and Jaguars (London's Wembley Stadium) are among the teams hosting international games – and both are away opponents for New England in 2024.
9. Did you know? — Part One: If Belichick coaches a new team in 2024, he would be the first head coach to start a season with a new team in his 70s.
10. Did you know? — Part II: Mayo is the 242nd former player to become an NFL head coach since the 1970 merger. According to Elias, 134 of that group were offensive players and 108 were defensive players. Mayo is the first former Patriots player to serve as the team's head coach.