It’s clear that Patriots scouting director Eliot Wolff is the man in charge in New England, but the organization has no plans to give him a title commensurate with his new responsibilities.
It’s a strange move on their part, but we know why they feel that way.The Patriots are getting around the Rooney Rule in a big way. Bill Belichick has long been listed as New England’s “head football coach,” according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. This is a designation that the NFL reports to the entire league, which is responsible for each organization’s football operations.
Patriots general manager Matt Groh was tapped as the “second football coach” last season. Both positions are vacant, Jones said. The Patriots don’t plan to fill it without requiring a full search, including interviews with at least two non-minority candidates, before making a decision. This is known as the Rooney Rule.
The Patriots avoided a coaching search because coach Jerod Mayo had a clause in his contract that would have allowed him to be promoted. The New England Chiefs had no such rule, so the easiest option was to leave the spot open. However, that wouldn’t prevent someone from interviewing with another organization, leaving the Patriots vulnerable to losing members of their front office.
There has been “some” talk of Jones being pursued by the Patriots ahead of the 2024 NFL draft, but sources said that’s unlikely.
It’s hard to argue that there is malicious intent behind New England’s decision-making process, but going that route could invite criticism. “The title is important,” Mayo told reporters at an introductory press conference. Maybe he wanted to talk when it was convenient for him.
