Quentin Harris Declines Patriots’ Interview Request

With the Patriots’ search for a lead executive underway, updates continue to emerge with respect to names the team has shown interest in. New England has once again not been able to line up an interview with the latest candidate linked to the position, however.

Longtime Cardinals executive Quentin Harris turned down an interview request from the Patriots, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reports. Harris has been on the general manager radar in the past, and he is free to join any team’s front office at this time. He and the Cardinals parted ways in February.

That ended Harris’ tenure in Arizona, one which began in 2008. Working his way through the organization, the 47-year-old most recently held the title of VP of player personnel. Harris served as co-GM at the end of the 2022 season and he interviewed for Arizona’s full-time gig before it ultimately went to Monti Ossenfort. Outside interest was shown as well, with the Giants speaking with Harris in 2022 and the Titans doing the same last offseason.

Harris would have represented an experienced front office staffer for New England, albeit one without previous time spent as a GM. The Patriots have relied on Eliot Wolf to handle roster-building moves so far this offseason, one which has seen a number of key decisions made. While Wolf is a candidate for the full-time general manager position (in responsibility if not in title), the organization remains committed to meeting with other options before making a final decision.

A report from Monday indicated New England has already satisfied the Rooney Rule with respect to interviewing minority candidates. The only other staffer who has been connected to the position so far, however, is Bengals senior personnel executive Trey Brown. Like Harris, Brown turned down an interview request from the Patriots, so it will be interesting to see how the team proceeds moving forward.