Mike Reiss

What do you see from Eliot Wolf that makes him the right choice to have final personnel say?
“Well, the major decisions in life I’ve made, I’ve gone with my instincts. And sometimes people don’t agree. But I think Eliot has good training, good pedigree. We actually have a good group of young people. I’ll tell you, we’re starting new chapters in our development and as we evolve here. I like the young people they have doing this. We were in an environment previously where everything really funneled to the top. Maybe some of the young people that have worked real hard didn’t get a chance to have their positions heard, or maybe didn’t speak up as much. I’ve encouraged them to be collaborative. I think the combination of Jerod [Mayo] and Matt [Groh] and together with Eliot, I’m actually excited what I’ve seen. And that also sort of ties in with how players have changed, too, really over the last 10-15 years, and how systems have changed. I think they’re in-tune and I’m excited. Some people call me an eternal optimist, so I don’t know how much you should take what I say. I’m excited about what’s going on, and the process; they’re thorough. They’re very thorough. So I’m excited with what I’ve seen so far and we’ll evaluate after the draft and see how that’s gone, and decide where we go from there.”

Speaking of the draft, there are 3 quarterbacks regarded as the best within that range. Would you like to see a quarterback selected with the No. 3 pick?
“I put my ‘fan hat’ on and I definitely would. In the end, you can’t win in this league consistently unless you have a first-rate quarterback and a first-rate coach. On the other hand, you’re in a different position. We’ve never been in the third draft position since we’ve owned the team. What happens, a lot of people behind are really desperate to move up, and so we’re going to be open to whatever can come our way. But in the end, I’ll let the team make the decision what they think is best. One way or another, I’d like to see us get a top-rate, young quarterback.”

You say you’re excited about what’s going on. A lot of Patriots fans will disagree with that. That given the cap space you guys have had, the lack of improvements through personnel, they don’t see much reason to be optimistic about the season. What would you say to Patriots fans?
“I feel bad. I think we’ve actually made some improvements. I think we’re getting the system of functioning the way we did – where this year we signed a number of younger players that we had drafted or had been in our system. As a foundation, if you want to win consistently, you have to draft well and then get those players on the second contract. We started to do that this year. We pursued the people we wanted in free agency. There was one outstanding receiver that unfortunately we couldn’t close. It was not because of finance. He made clearly his girlfriend wanted to be in the South. And we had a situation where the taxes were like almost 10% higher. We offered, or were willing to keep going at that premium, but he didn’t want to be in the Northeast. And part of it might be the quarterback situation as well.”

What are your expectations? In the last couple years, you’ve told us that you not only wanted to make the playoffs, but win a game since you haven’t won a playoff game in quite a while. Have those expectations changed because you have a new coach, new coaching staff?
“My hope, and expectations, is to make the playoffs. That’s something, realistically, we have a new leadership team, we’re going to have a lot of young players we don’t know – a lot can happen. We might struggle more than I want. But the good news, when you’re running any businesses, you try to figure out what the key variables are, and then you try to put people in place that you think can react and adapt to what has to happen. I really feel we have a good young team. I just hope we don’t struggle. But in the end, everything is chit-chat until you get on the field. X’s and O’s are where it’s at. Look, for me personally, after my family, the most important thing in my life is to win football games with the Patriots. And try to do whatever I can in the background to try to make that happen. So I say that to our fans and I believe we’re going in the right direction after going through a tough 3-4 years. At the same time, we were privileged to have the greatest coach in the 100-year history of the game. He did amazing things. Combined with the quarterback we had for two decades, it’s a pretty high standard. We’re happy we were able to put the pieces in place that allowed that to happen and flourish. And now we have to get back so we’re competing in a range where similar, hopefully, position.”

The NFLPA survey the last two years has not really spoken kindly of you and the Patriots. I think a lot of people wondering what kind of efforts are being made to make it a better place for players to work, and attract free agents and those type of things.
“I must tell you, I was unaware of how bad that was. We’ve had a plan, and we put in place, where we’re committing a whole new facility adjacent to ours that has been discussed with the young leadership team. A building that will be in excess of $50 million that will have the most [modern] facilities. We have to correct anything. I was not aware, even of this daycare issue. That’s something that’s fixable and we want to do. Look, the players are the heart and soul of the business. I’d be very surprised if that didn’t improve. That was done in the fifth week of the season.”

Robert, how do you balance patience and urgency. I mean, it’s been a few years since the team has experienced the kind of success you guys were accustomed to. But now that you have a team in place that has a big learning curve, you’re going to have to be patient or you’re going to be back here at the top of the draft in a couple years. How do you balance that?
“Well, you know that’s a function of, ‘Have we put the right people in place to make it happen?’ I’d like to think there will be a big improvement next year. That’s my hope. But we know we have to be patient. Everything is new. I think we have 20 new coaches. Just to be able to integrate them into a system. I think Jerod has terrific people skills. And I think Eliot and Matt have really good knowledge of our product and what has to be done. I’ve told them, ‘Look, I don’t want to do splashy things just to get attention and get good headlines one day. I want us to do the things that are substantive for the short-term and long-term. I think, look, this will be my 31st season. We’ve never been drafting in the third position. I hope it will be similar; I think back to coming in as an owner in ’94 and we were drafting fourth, and we got my fifth son, Willie McGinest. He really kicked some butt and helped bring a certain attitude to the team and we made the playoffs that first year [in 1994]. But who knows? But we have a chance to get really good personnel in this draft, and another small thing, a position we’ve never been in: After the draft, people cut players when they fulfill their needs. Some very good players sometimes. We’ve never been in a claiming position of No. 3. There are a lot of little things that can happen. And also, the way our coaching, there is a new feeling in the coaching staff and everyone is contributing. But in the end, what the bottom line is, how do we do game day? Wins and losses.

Mac Jones was traded this offseason, and what you saw from him the last three years, do you think the team is in a better position now to help a young quarterback going forward, with the offensive coaches that Jerod brought in?
“Definitely. I think Alex Van Pelt has great experience. I don’t think the last couple years, how we handled the offense, speaking as a fan, it wasn’t the kind of approach we wanted. Look, one way or another, we know at some point we’re going to get a young quarterback who will be gifted. Fortunately, there is a number of them in this draft. Where we take that position will depend on what comes to us. But I hope our personnel do a good job in that area and I really believe we have the coaching to support that.”

Robert, there has been some negative reaction to “The Dynasty” docuseries. What is your reaction to that?
“I loved the first three episodes. I felt bad that there was so much emphasis on the more controversial and let’s say ‘challenging’ situations over the last 20 years. I wish they had focused more on our Super Bowl wins, our 21-game win streak. I felt bad there were players who gave hours and hours of interviews and they felt only the negativity. People like Devin McCourty and Rodney Harrison and Matthew [Slater] – although I just heard quietly they’ve all felt that way. Actually there were some really prominent people who were interviewed for hours that never were used. So a little disappointed that there wasn’t more of a real positive approach – especially for Patriot fans who have lived the experience with us.”

Robert, one quick follow-up on that. Specific to Bill Belichick and ‘The Dynasty’, a lot of fans feel like he was unfairly maligned and blamed for a lot of things. Specific to Bill, do you have any comment?
“Look, I’ll state this clearly: I feel so privileged that we had Bill here. We hope when he’s finished that we’re going to have a chance to honor him the way we will do with Tom Brady this year. We did this little ceremony at halftime of the Eagles game [for Brady], but it was not adequate. We look forward to being able to celebrate putting him into the Patriots Hall of Fame 6-12-24. I look forward to the privilege of putting Bill into the Patriots Hall of Fame one day in the future.”