FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. 'Miss Nancy' celebrated: When Nancy Meier was hired by the Patriots as a typist in the mid-1970s, she recalls the starting salary might have been $3 per hour. Her primary responsibility was working with scouts, who would mail their reports to team offices for her to document.
Fifty-one years later, Meier, the team's longest-tenured employee who is retiring at the end of May, was given a grand send-off Monday acknowledging her widespread contributions to the franchise.
She called it one of the best days of her life. With hundreds in attendance inside the GP Atrium, which included current players such as quarterback Drake Maye, coaches, staff, former players and family, Meier saw her name in lights inside Gillette Stadium and her career flash before her eyes.
"I was put on a pedestal and thought about in the kindest of ways. The memories of me and so many people, they've all been shared. I'm still glowing," said Meier, who was joined by her daughter, son and grandchildren, among others.
A highlight of the event was a video tribute, which included owners Robert and Jonathan Kraft, Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Willie McGinest, Scott Pioli and Nick Caserio among the 60 who contributed.
One theme from players was how Meier, as the director of scouting administration, was the first staffer they met in New England as rookies, in part because she arranged their travel itinerary. Pro Football Hall of Famer Richard Seymour, a South Carolina native who played at the University of Georgia, was among those who referred to her as a mom-like presence as he embarked on his professional career in an unfamiliar part of the country.
Meier, whom players often referred to as "Miss Nancy," said those types of connections are part of what she will miss most.
"I can't wait to watch it again, because I was so unprepared for all the people who participated. Sitting there with my youngest granddaughter on my lap, it was, 'Oh my goodness.' Like a dream come true," she said.
"The people I've met on this journey; family is an easy word to toss around for people in the work force, but I've really met a lot of people that I would consider to be as close to family, or as close as family can be."
The feeling is mutual.
"We weren't just co-workers. She is family to us and known our daughter Mia since she was born," said Pioli, who served as vice president of player personnel from 2000-2008 (three Super Bowl championships) and credits Meier's "loyal voice" as a key cog of the personnel department.
It was a career that began, in part, by coincidence.
Meier, who grew up in Holbrook, Massachusetts, attended Burdett College in Boston to study fashion merchandising. Her sister had a friend who worked for late Patriots scouting czar Bucko Kilroy, they mentioned a job opening, and Meier was asked if she was interested.
She began on a part-time basis and was officially hired full-time in October of 1975, with the staff tapping her organizational skills both in scouting and with coordination of the special teams playbook.
"I don't know how they would do it, but the scouts would go on the road with a suitcase, briefcase and a film projector," she said. "They would do all their reports, put them in an envelope, and we would get them in the mail on a Monday or Tuesday and we would just type, type, type.
"I've been in player personnel ever since, and it's been a lot of the same thing; scouts are still evaluating a receiver as a receiver, but the technology is what's changed the most in my 50 years."
Over that time, the Patriots' personnel department was led by Kilroy, Dick Steinberg, Joe Mendes, Charley Armey, Bobby Grier, Pioli, Caserio, Matt Groh and now Eliot Wolf. Meier calls it a "beautiful group of people, with big hearts, who love the Patriots," which contributed to a "great work environment."
Pioli, whose personnel staff included current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and current NFL general managers Monti Ossenfort (Cardinals), Jason Licht (Buccaneers) Adam Peters (Commanders) and Caserio among others, noted Meier's contributions in saying: "I don't know if there was a major decision that was made that somehow didn't involve Nancy. That includes any talent acquisition, whether it was players or scouting assistants. She got to spend time with everyone."
In a behind-the-scenes tribute to Meier on the final day of the 2026 NFL draft, Wolf gave Meier the honor of calling fifth-round draft pick Karon Prunty, a cornerback out of Wake Forest.
Nancy Meier makes her final draft call after 50+ years with the New England Patriots 👏@newbalance | @NFL pic.twitter.com/nV97rMjn71
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 26, 2026
"I don't think you can put into words what Nancy has meant to the Patriots," Wolf said. "The level of ambassadorship she has shown; she has been the first point of contact for every initial person, whether that's a coach, player, a staff member. She gets to know them first.
"It's unbelievable the amount of people she has impacted. Every week, I'll talk to an agent, or a former player, and they all ask, 'How is Nancy doing?' It's a testament to her."
One recent example of the proficiency of Meier's work came in late February when a blizzard impacted travel itineraries for scouts to the NFL combine in Indianapolis. She ensured everyone made it regardless. Such attention to detail and around-the-clock availability will be impossible to replace, according to Wolf, who said Meier essentially handled "four jobs in one."
Meier calls the Patriots' first Super Bowl victory in February 2002 as a top memory. Looking ahead, she said she doesn't want to regret "not having taken the time not to work and find out what's out there."
"I'll miss everything about this team. I love the Patriots. It's who I am," she said.
"This is going to sound like an odd thing to say, but I've been to funerals where I've said, 'I wish this person was alive to hear all the beautiful things being said about them.' The people that were there Monday meant so much to my heart. It was over-the-moon comfortable and beautiful."
2. Seattle opener: What ultimately led the NFL to pick the Patriots as the Seahawks' opponent for the NFL opener on Sept. 9?
"The Super Bowl rematch is never going to be more relevant than in Week 1," Hans Schroeder, the league's executive vice president of media distribution, said on a conference call the day after the schedule release. "To pick up this year where we ended off last year had a neat symmetry and connection to it, so we really loved that idea."
3. WR chatter: Free agent signee Romeo Doubs highlighted Mack Hollins, DeMario "Pop" Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III as receivers who have helped him acclimate to the Patriots' system through the first four weeks of the voluntary offseason program.
It caught the ear that Kayshon Boutte wasn't included as he has been working out away from the facility.
4. AVT impression: If veteran guard Alijah Vera-Tucker returns to full health (torn triceps in 2025) and the form that made him a first-round pick of the New York Jets in 2021, it would be a big boost to the Patriots, who signed him to a three-year deal with a base value of $42 million in March.
In the voluntary offseason program, Vera-Tucker has made an impression on second-year center Jared Wilson, who said, "He's an athletic freak. His feet are crazy."
5. Preseason plan: The way the Patriots' preseason games are scheduled -- Thursday, Aug. 13 vs. the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday, Aug. 22 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles, and Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Cleveland Browns -- will likely impact how coach Mike Vrabel maps out plans for playing time.
Would he want Maye and most starters to play in both of the final two games, which take place five days apart?
One scenario to consider would be putting more emphasis on joint practices with the Eagles in the days leading up to the second preseason game, then letting Maye & Co. play more extensively against the Browns, the lone road game leading into the season opener on the road.
In a related note, the only other time the Patriots played in Cleveland in the preseason was in 1978.
6. They said it: "Same guy that I recognize from being back in Tennessee -- a guy that is full of energy, coaching the entire team, running back from offense, defense and special teams. I don't see a difference whatsoever."-- veteran Patriots safety Kevin Byard, who played for Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2023, on what he's seen from Vrabel in the first four weeks of the voluntary offseason program
7. Montgomery's deal: Central Florida running back Myles Montgomery (5-foot-10, 205 pounds) had the richest guaranteed contract of the Patriots' initial 12-member undrafted free agent class at $272,500. That reflects how the Patriots had competition from others to sign Montgomery, who was timed at 4.44 in the 40-yard dash in the predraft process.
Those close to the 23-year-old Montgomery say the Patriots appealed to him because of the opportunity to compete for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart with Terrell Jennings, Lan Larison and Jam Miller, and also the approach and success of the Vrabel-led coaching staff.
8. Fin-ale again: The Patriots close out the 2026 season against the Miami Dolphins, and if that felt familiar, it makes sense.
It's how last season ended, with Miami tight end Julian Hill making an impression on New England's staff that day by blocking ferociously despite the team being out of contention, and it marks the 19th time overall the teams will meet in the regular-season finale.
The Patriots went on to sign Hill to a three-year, $15 million base value contract in the offseason.
9. Did You Know, Part I: The Patriots-Seahawks opener marks the third time in NFL history the league has scheduled a Super Bowl rematch in the first week of the following season. Broncos-Panthers (2016) and Chiefs-Vikings (1970) are the others. Overall, it is the 12th time a Super Bowl rematch has taken place the following regular season.
10. Did You Know, Part II: Since their inaugural season in 1960, the Patriots have never played a game on a Wednesday until this year's opener.
