The Patriots’ newly-released media guide gives insight into some changes in the scouting and football operations departments.
The New England Patriots are in full-on preparatory mode for their 2025 training camp. The first group of players — rookies, quarterbacks, rehabbing veterans — has already reported to Gillette Stadium, with the rest set to follow on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the team will hold its first practice of the summer.
With camp nearing, the Patriots also released an updated version of their media guide. An up-close look at it reveals that the team has made several previously unreported changes to its staff.
Let’s take a look at the most notable among them.
Strength and conditioning
Brandon Martuccio and Dexter Taylor: Martuccio and Taylor, who served as strength and conditioning assistants in 2024, remain with the team in the same capacity heading into 2025. This means that new head coach Mike Vrabel retained the entire strength staff from his predecessor, Jerod Mayo. The only change is Frank Piraino being installed as the head of the department in his role as director of sports performance.
Player personnel
Casey Belongia: There was some speculation that Belongia might be headed out the door this offseason, but he did not go anywhere. In fact, he was promoted: a midwest area scout in 2024, he is now the team’s national scout responsible for the west region — taking over the role previously held by new college scouting director Tony Kinkela. Belongia joined the Patriots last year after 10 seasons in Jacksonville.
Matt Evans: After four seasons as national scout, responsible for the east region, Evans has taken a step up the organizational ladder. He is the team’s new assistant director of college scouting and as such will serve as Tony Kinkela’s right-hand man atop the college scouting department. His former title remains unoccupied at the moment.
Justin Hickman: Entering his fifth season with the team, Hickman still serves as an area scout. However, his area of responsibility changed from the northeast to the midwest; he has taken over Casey Belongia’s old job.
J.T. Hill: Hill is entering Year 4 with the Patriots, and his first in a new role. He previously served as west area scout and is now the team’s southeast area scout — a role previously held by since-departed Josh Hinch.
Joe McDonald: The Patriots now have two Joe McDonalds on their staff. The first was hired as senior analyst during the 2024 season, the other as a scouting assistant this offseason. The latter McDonald spent the last three seasons as a position coach at Tufts.
Marshall Oium: Oium’s role continues to change heading into his eighth season with the Patriots. He will serve as director of scouting projects in 2025 after previously working as director of football strategy (2024), assistant director of scouting (2023) and pro scout (2018-22). His new role did not previously exist on the organization’s staff.
Landon Simpson: Simpson first joined the team last year as a scouting assistant. He was promoted to area scout (west) earlier this year, filling J.T. Hill’s old role.
Bryson Speas: A scouting assistant the last two seasons, Speas is the Patriots’ new northeast area scout. Justin Hickman, the new midwest area scout, last held that position.
Besides previously reported departures and personnel changes, one other move has happened. Former scouting assistant Maya Ana Callender is no longer serving in that role, and not listed on the team’s staff directory.
Football operations
James Mitchell: Mitchell joined the Patriots as director of player development this offseason after spending the last seven years in Tennessee in the same role. Six of those seasons saw him work alongside then-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel. He also spent time as director of football development at Duke and as team chaplain at the University of Tennessee and the University of Washington. He also has 14 years of college coaching on his résumé, working at several schools between 1983 and 1996.
Brianna Avedisian: Avedisian spent two years with the Nashville Soccer Club and has now joined the Patriots under the title of IT manager, football operations.
The Patriots’ football operations saw some major changes this offseason. While the departures of executive vice president of football operations and senior advisor to the head coach Robyn Glaser and director of player development Chris Mattes caught most of the headlines, the team also is no longer employing football operations/team logistics coordinator Aturo Adkins as well as longtime IT specialist Dan Famosi. The latter had originally joined the Patriots in 2000 and has been part of all six Super Bowl-winning teams.
Another notable change is Josh Kraft apparently leaving his positions with the team, at least for the moment. One of owner Robert Kraft’s four sons, he previously served on the club’s board of directors and as head of the New England Patriots Foundation. However, he is running for Boston mayor this year.