The New England Patriots have officially moved on from the Bill Belichick era as the franchise appointed Eliot Wolf as executive vice president of player personnel.
Belichick, who is considered one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history, stepped down after a disappointing 4-13 season. His tenure with the Patriots lasted 24 seasons, during which he won six Super Bowl championships and 16 AFC East titles.
The appointment of Wolf, who beat out several other candidates, marks a significant step for the Patriots. His responsibilities will include overseeing the personnel department, managing the salary cap, and controlling the 53-man roster as Wolf looks to work alongside first-year head coach Jerod Mayo as the franchise looks to a new future.
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Wolf was expected to take charge of the Patriots' roster when he was hired back in February. Although the Patriots won't have a traditional general manager, Wolf's role will encompass many similar duties as the team moves towards a shared responsibility system.
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Patriots owner Robert Kraft has finally settled on a new structure for the team's personnel department, expressing his satisfaction with the current setup. He explained: "As I have stated multiple times during the offseason, the plan was to observe the working relationship and involvement between Eliot and Jerod (Mayo) and see how they managed our offseason personnel decisions.
"Then, following the draft we would formally undertake a process for setting up the permanent structure of our personnel department."
Eliot Wolf has been hired as the Patriots' executive vice president of player personnel (Stacy Revere/Getty Images)Kraft didn't hold back his praise for Wolf's ability that ultimately led to this decision, saying: "I have been impressed with Eliot's management style and experience and I'm excited that he has agreed to take on this new position."
Wolf played an instrumental role in the Patriots' draft strategy, which saw them pick UNC's standout Drake Maye as the third overall choice in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Pats also focused heavily on offense, selecting six offensive players out of their total seven picks, including the talented receiver Ja'Lynn Polk in the second round.
This approach has garnered widespread acclaim, and as a result, Wolf has been appointed to the role permanently. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Wolf expressed his feelings: "It is an honor to accept this position with the New England Patriots.
"I am grateful to the Kraft family for this opportunity and want to thank my family, especially my wife and children, for the support and strength they have given me as I move forward in my new role. I also want to thank all of the people I have worked with and learned from over the years."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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