Patriots begin search for new head of football operations, per report

According to a report by CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, the organization has started the search for its next top football executive — a role previously held by long-time head coach Bill Belichick. When Belichick and the Patriots parted ways in January, however, he left his position as their quasi-general manager unoccupied.

Whether or not the Patriots will name an official GM in Year 1 after Belichick remains to be seen. Fact is, however, that they currently lack what the NFL refers to as a "primary football executive."

Eliot Wolf is the closest they have to that role at the moment. Listed as director of scouting, a title he was given by Belichick in 2022, he took charge of the front office after his former boss left New England. Spearheading a collaborative effort that also included fellow executives Matt Groh, Alonzo Highsmith and Patrick Stewart, Wolf was given authority to make the final call on personnel decisions in both free agency and the draft.

Considering his involvement in the Patriots' roster and salary cap construction over the last four months, especially in regards to drafting quarterback Drake Maye third overall, Wolf has to be considered a serious candidate if not the outright frontrunner to get the job. However, the NFL rules prevent him from simply taking over as primary executive.

Per the so-called Rooney Rule, the Patriots have to hold at least at least two in-person interviews with external minority candidates for the open position. This means that simply talking to the aforementioned Alonzo Highsmith or other minority executives already in the building would not help satisfy those requirements.

Back in January, team owner Robert Kraft hinted at a formal search for a new head of football operations would eventually take place.

"We're counting on our internal people whom we're still learning and evaluating," said Kraft at the time. "We're going to let that evolve and develop, and before the key decisions have to be made, we will appoint someone. At the same time, we'll probably start doing interviews and looking at people from the outside. But my bias has always been, in all our family companies, to try to develop a culture from within where we understand one another. ...

"This is the first time in a quarter of a century we had to make major changes, and we want to see what we have in-house, look what's out there in the marketplace, and then do what we think is right."

Kraft's remarks came at the introductory press conference of new head coach Jerod Mayo. A former linebacker and assistant coach under Belichick, Mayo took over without a coaching search. This was made possible due to his contract with the Patriots guaranteeing that he would eventually succeed Belichick.

Neither Wolf nor any other member of the Patriots' front office has such a stipulation in their deals with the club. As a consequence, the team has now began the process of hiring a top-level executive — whether it be Wolf, or somebody else.