Robert Kraft's Press Conference

[upstater1]

Yes, the two owners and their legal/league/business advisor will make the decisions.

We can complain all we wish. There is NOTHING unusual about this structure.

There is something unusual. They are typically advised by Presidents who know football.

In this case they will be advised by a guy who doesn't want to lose his job, if it comes to that.

Sounds like Atlanta to me.

 

[RobertWeathers]

to be clear, I am fine with Wolf or Highsmith in whatever roles the Kraft's want them, including with Wolf being fired or moved to another job in the organization.
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Personally, I do not want another coach with the powers that Belichick had, or anywhere near that power.

I also think that Vrabel understands and will be able to negotiate his role before taking the job. Vrabel will have a seat at the table on free agency and the draft. The final decision will not be Vrabel's.

The HC having final say in personnel can work OR he needs to make sure his personnel guy knows exactly what the HC wants/needs.

That is the dynamic in KC and LA (Rams)

Jim Harbaugh has it as they hired his brother's buddy who deserved a shot.

The HC needs to be elite in order for that to work.

 

[upstater1]

The HC having final say in personnel can work OR he needs to make sure his personnel guy knows exactly what the HC wants/needs.

That is the dynamic in KC and LA (Rams)

Jim Harbaugh has it as they hired his brother's buddy who deserved a shot.

The HC needs to be elite in order for that to work.

Also the Buffalo Bills. McDermott works hand in hand with his GM. McDermott brought Beane along with him.

But you have to remember, the Bills had the NFL's worst front office structure with a President answering directly to Ralph Wilson and Pegula.

It wasn't until they put EVERYTHING in McDermott/Beane's hands that they exeprienced success. For 25 years prior to that, they had 2 guys who didn't know what they were doing.

If you look at the Bills' 1st round draft picks over the decades, it's astounding how ownership put up with that much incompetence.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Also the Buffalo Bills. McDermott works hand in hand with his GM. McDermott brought Beane along with him.

But you have to remember, the Bills had the NFL's worst front office structure with a President answering directly to Ralph Wilson and Pegula.

It wasn't until they put EVERYTHING in McDermott/Beane's hands that they exeprienced success. For 25 years prior to that, they had 2 guys who didn't know what they were doing.

If you look at the Bills' 1st round draft picks over the decades, it's astounding how ownership put up with that much incompetence.

Yep and thats why the collaboration/committee **** doesn't work. Let the coach and the GM beat the crap out of each other and assuming they have a healthy relationship will eventually agree on a path forward.

Bill said he and Pioli used to go at it over player. They would agree to disagree and move on to another player.

 

[mgteich]

The HC having final say in personnel can work OR he needs to make sure his personnel guy knows exactly what the HC wants/needs.

That is the dynamic in KC and LA (Rams)

Jim Harbaugh has it as they hired his brother's buddy who deserved a shot.

The HC needs to be elite in order for that to work.

agree

yes, I would have given that power to Harbaugh.

IMO, Vrabel is no Harbaugh.

IMO, Johnson is no Harbaugh.
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Wolf and Highsmith will know what Vrabel wants and needs. Vrable will also have a seat at the decision-making table.

If Vrabel can't trust Wolf/Highsmith or whoever the Kraft's put in those positions, then he shouldn't come. If Vrabel was given total power, the leash would be very short.

 

[FCB02062]

a modicum of Credit to Krafty Bob for recognizing his mistake and ****canning Mayo. Mayo is not and never will be an nfl head coach - wonder if his excellent management skills that got him that high paying gig at Optum will result in another high paying, high esteem job with another private company NOT connected to Kraft in any way....

 

[RobertWeathers]

agree

yes, I would have given that power to Harbaugh.

IMO, Vrabel is no Harbaugh.

IMO, Johnson is no Harbaugh.

I wonder if Bob even had a fainting thought about Harbaugh.....

 

[mgteich]

Also the Buffalo Bills. McDermott works hand in hand with his GM. McDermott brought Beane along with him.

But you have to remember, the Bills had the NFL's worst front office structure with a President answering directly to Ralph Wilson and Pegula.

It wasn't until they put EVERYTHING in McDermott/Beane's hands that they exeprienced success. For 25 years prior to that, they had 2 guys who didn't know what they were doing.

If you look at the Bills' 1st round draft picks over the decades, it's astounding how ownership put up with that much incompetence.

Yes, the Bills have done well with one of the best QB's in the NFL. Without that, they are not a playoff team.

 

[mgteich]

I wonder if Bob even had a fainting thought about Harbaugh.....

We didn't have a QB. The Chargers have a great QB. We just didn't have the ability to attract top coaches.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We didn't have a QB. The Chargers have a great QB. We just didn't have the ability to attract top coaches.

Yes but Harbaugh would have influence over drafting Maye.

Granted he is not Hebert...yet

..and I think Bob wanted someone who didn't want to control the org...which is Harbaugh.

 

[n1997y]

a modicum of Credit to Krafty Bob for recognizing his mistake and ****canning Mayo. Mayo is not and never will be an nfl head coach - wonder if his excellent management skills that got him that high paying gig at Optum will result in another high paying, high esteem job with another private company NOT connected to Kraft in any way....

Not connected to Kraft in any way?

Isn’t Optum a big Patriots sponsor? Who opened that door for Mayo?

 

[upstater1]

a modicum of Credit to Krafty Bob for recognizing his mistake and ****canning Mayo. Mayo is not and never will be an nfl head coach - wonder if his excellent management skills that got him that high paying gig at Optum will result in another high paying, high esteem job with another private company NOT connected to Kraft in any way....

When Mayo was a player, he was the captain of the defense, making all the adjustments after the 15 seconds were up, and he was such a great student of the game, all-night hard work and studying, knowledge of the defense like no one under Belichick ever before, that Jerod was known as Jerod Belichick.

He has had so little experience coaching (4 or 5 yrs?) and he needs a lot more experience, especially when it comes to the things a HC must do.

But make no mistake, he has as much capability as any former player. Mike Vrabel is not only 13 years older than Mayo, he has a ton more coaching experience.

 

[XLIX]

I take anything Bill says about the Patriots right now with a grain of salt, especially in regards to the organization itself. He is still looking to take digs at the org after Kraft dumped on him with "The Dynasty" and then saying he fired him back in October. I wouldn't be surprised if Bill knows people have their ears perked about Glaser and this is some kind of dog whistle.

Belichick may very well have his own agenda, but I do not believe for a single second he is making things up out of thin air regarding the power structure in Foxboro.

I just don't understand why so many people are in such denial over the fact that Robyn Glaser is involved in football personnel operations and football-related decisions.

 

[n1997y]

Belichick may very well have his own agenda, but I do not believe for a single second he is making things up out of thin air regarding the power structure in Foxboro.

I just don't understand why so many people are in such denial over the fact that Robyn Glaser is involved in football personnel operations and football-related decisions.

Could it be that having non-football people, especially of any but the most hyper masculine, involved in “football operations” is a bridge too far among the anti DEI zealots?
/s

There’s kinds and degrees of involvement in football operations and football personnel. From all account she is the team’s resident expert on league rules and procedures. Probably a position established as an appropriate response to all the various rules-gate investigations and sanctions. Also heavily involved in player contracts, so that means she’s involved in football personnel. Both of those are big red flags to some.

 

[reflexblue]

so, Wolf should have made the draft decisions alone, ignoring all the scouting reports.

i never said or implied he didn't listen to his scouts. Last April everyone here referred to wolf as the one that made the final decision on draft day I started a thread about giving wolf some slack because it was his first draft calling the shots and it was probably a little overwhelming having the responsibility of making the picks. But i expected better of someone whos father was a legendary gm, ( i assumed that he learned something from his father about scouting) and who had been in the scouting department for twenty years from what i remember.

 

[XLIX]

Could it be that having non-football people, especially of any but the most hyper masculine, involved in “football operations” is a bridge too far among the anti DEI zealots?

But who exactly are these (so-called) "anti DEI zealots"? The people most vehemently defending her are the same people saying she has no power in football personnel operations whatsoever and is not involved in the decision making process of the above.

IOW, it is her defenders who are saying "she has absolutely no power so she shouldn't be criticized." Beyond being demonstrably false, that's totally what we call damning someone with faint praise.

From all account she is the team’s resident expert on league rules and procedures.

Sorry, not true. There are plenty of accounts conflicting with the above. Belichick himself - a guy whom I think we can all agree knows quite a bit about the goings on in Foxboro - makes it sound like she is the most powerful person in the entire organization not named "Kraft".

Now his take may not exactly be 100% accurate, but neither are those who say she has no football personnel authority whatsoever. The truth is no doubt somewhere in between. She is not scouting potential 5th round linebackers at Vanderbilt, but she is clearly part of a very small inner circle making and advising on important decisions about the direction of this franchise.

Probably a position established as an appropriate response to all the various rules-gate investigations and sanctions.

I highly doubt the Patriots established a position in 2024 in response to spygate (2007) or deflategate (2014).

 

[turkeyneck]

Thats actually a good point.

He may/may not have an issue with her but with Bob positioning her the way he has, Bill couches it as a, "look at all the non-football people making decisions".

Smells to me that her purview over contracts may have extended into what BB considered his turf. Did she overrule some contract particulars that BB had specified? I.e., did she reach beyond the Ps and Qs of the legalese into the content?

 

[captain stone]

Great question. Seems like we'll learn more in the coming days/weeks.

The interesting thing here is Wolf is the guy who brought him in.

Eh...

RW's right. Wolfie & Highsmith go back together for years now.

It was reported by some that Highsmith was brought in partly to head the 2025 draft process.

You mean the 2024 draft process.

you mean after July when Highsmith was brought on board to head the new draft process?

Headcase was right the first time: Highsmith was brought aboard in February.

Highsmith didn't report to work until July. He was NOT responsible for the draft.

See above.

 

[captain stone]

Could it be that having non-football people, especially of any but the most hyper masculine, involved in “football operations” is a bridge too far among the anti DEI zealots?

There’s kinds and degrees of involvement in football operations and football personnel. From all account she is the team’s resident expert on league rules and procedures. Probably a position established as an appropriate response to all the various rules-gate investigations and sanctions. Also heavily involved in player contracts, so that means she’s involved in football personnel. Both of those are big red flags to some.

'Tard ****s don't belong in a Man's sport.

 

[reflexblue]

where the **** are you getting this from, i never implied or said he ignored scouting reportsgo troll somebody else

so, Wolf should have made the draft decisions alone, ignoring all the scouting reports.

I never said or implied that, of course he listened to his scouting department. But he makes the ultimate descision