Ex-Pats Exec Shares Insights on Kraft Meetings During Belichick’s Debut
Scott Pioli reflects on the challenges faced in Belichick’s first season with the Patriots and his meetings with the Kraft family
New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Robert Kraft, Troy Brown, NFL
Foxboro: So, Scott Pioli recently opened up about his time with the New England Patriots during Bill Belichick’s first season as head coach. It wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. The team struggled, finishing with a 5-11 record, and there were a lot of growing pains.
Back in 2000, Belichick was stepping into a tough situation. The team was trying to find its identity after switching coaches a few times. Pioli, who was new in the front office, was right there with him, trying to figure things out.
He shared that he and Belichick met regularly with Robert and Jonathan Kraft, along with Andy Wasynczuk, who was the president at the time. They had some deep discussions about the team’s direction and culture, which was shifting from what it had been under previous coaches.
Pioli mentioned that while the Krafts usually didn’t interfere with personnel decisions, there was one moment that stood out. It was about Troy Brown’s last season, and Robert Kraft had some strong feelings about keeping certain players for team chemistry. It was a reminder that even in tough times, those conversations can be really important.
He also noted that while those meetings could get uncomfortable, especially when things weren’t going well, they were crucial for the team’s development. It’s all part of the process, and it’s interesting to see how far the franchise has come since then.