Several factors have played into the Patriots’ descent from perennial contenders to cellar-dwellers in the AFC. And while the free-agent exit of Tom Brady in March 2020 officially shut New England’s contention window,

It’s been a tough few years in Foxborough, Mass. Since Tom Brady’s departure in 2020 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the New England Patriots have looked more like a team searching for its identity than the NFL dynasty it once was.

After four losing seasons, three head coaches and zero playoff wins in the five years since Tom Brady’s exit, the New England Patriots could use some urgency. And team owner Robert Kraft was happy to provide some Tuesday morning.