Sportsnaut
When the New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their head coach and then added Ryan Cowden as vice president of player personnel, questions were raised regarding Eliot Wolf’s future with the team. There now might be a little more clarity on the dynamic.
As part of his mailbag for Sports Illustrated, NFL insider Albert Breer was asked if he thinks Wolf’s job is in jeopardy amid the shakeups inside the Patriots’ organization.
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“No. If that was the case, this month was the time for that to happen. That the Patriots are moving forward, post-draft, with EVP of player personnel Eliot Wolf, VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden and, of course, head coach Mike Vrabel working together is confirmation that this will be the brass going forward. Now, things could always go wrong down the line. But the plan is the plan, and it’s apparent now that Wolf was part of it all along.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on if Eliot Wolf is on the hot seat with the New England Patriots
While Wolf is officially listed as New England’s executive vice president of player personnel, he effectively serves as general manager. However, the Patriots allow multiple voices to help influence decision-making and that includes Vrabel.
There was fair reason to question if the hiring of Cowden meant he could eventually take over. When Vrabel was the Tennessee Titans head coach (2018-2023), Cowden served as vice president of player personnel (2018-2022) and then took over as interim general manager in 2022 following the midseason firing of Jon Robinson.
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However, Wolf has his own trusted colleague in the Patriots’ front office. New England hired Alonzo Highsmith as a personnel executive in 2024, who worked with Wolf in the Green Bay Packers front office from 2012-’17. So, as long as the Patriots improve this season, Wolf should still be around next offseason.
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