The New England Patriots have been in transition for the second straight year. While firing head coach Jarod Mayo and replacing him with Mike Vrabel was the biggest headline, the Patriots could look drastically different by the time they take the field for the 2025 season.
That also includes some transition behind the scenes. Vrabel has already parted ways with some notable coaches on the Patriots staff and the shakeup has reached the front office with a notable executive leaving the organization during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Patriots Executive Patrick Stewart Takes College Football G.M. Job With Nebraska
Pete Thamel of ESPN reported last week that Patriots executive Patrick Stewart is leaving the team to take the general manager position at Nebraska. The decision is a reunion for Stewart as he previously worked with Huskers head coach Matt Rhule during his time with the Carolina Panthers.
Sources: Nebraska is hiring New England Patriots front office executive Pat Stewart as the football program’s new general manager. Stewart is the pro personnel director in New England and worked prior with the Carolina Panthers as vice president of player personnel. pic.twitter.com/pJ74N0D0Nf
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 27, 2025
Stewart joined the Patriots in 2007 as a scouting assistant and also spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles during his career but returned in 2023 as senior personnel advisor. Stewart’s new job in Lincoln will be similar to the one several NFL figures have taken this offseason including former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (GM at Stanford), former Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera (GM at California) and former Atlanta Falcons executive Nick Polk (Vice President of football operations at Florida).
The Patriots retained Eliot Wolf as their general manager after he was hired in 2023 but has also added Ryan Cowden as the vice president of player personnel after he worked with Vrabel during his time with the Tennessee Titans.
The arrival of Cowden and the departure of Stewart signals a changing of the guard in the Patriots front office and could lead to some different results as New England looks to rebound from a 3-14 season.