With Bill Belichick serving as the New England Patriots’ de facto general manager for decades, his departure has necessitated that need for a new executive to hold a comparable position. After a lengthy search, the Patriots appear to have found their man.
On Saturday, the Patriots announced that they have promoted Eliot Wolf to the position of Vice President of Player Personnel, making him the new general manager in New England for all intents and purposes. Wolf served as the team’s de facto GM throughout the offseason.
In a statement, Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that the team wanted to see how Wolf would work with head coach Jerod Mayo before making a decision.
“As I have started multiple times during the offseason, the plan was to observe the working relationship and involvement between Eliot and Jerod and see how they managed our offseason personnel decisions,” Kraft said. “Then, following the draft we would formally undertake a process for setting up the permanent structure of our personnel department. 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 called it “an honor” to accept the position with the team.
“It is an honor to accept this position with the New England Patriots,” Wolf said. “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.”
The move makes sense, as it was Wolf who pulled the trigger on the Patriots drafting quarterback Drake Maye No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. Kraft would have been hard-pressed to find a top candidate willing to hop on board a team that had already hired its head coach and drafted its quarterback before they even got there.
Will Eliot be able to pull the Patriots back into perennial Super Bowl contention in his new role?