[4th April 2000, 14:00, Tigers HQ, Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y]
The conference room had been hastily prepared for what would become the first official strategy meeting of the new Tigers regime. A long mahogany table dominated the centre, surrounded by leather chairs that had seen better days. The walls were bare except for faded team photos from past seasons and a whiteboard that still bore remnants of last year's game plans.
Xavier sat at the head of the table, his Grandfather Nathan to his right, both reviewing folders as the coaching staff filtered in. The atmosphere was tense—not hostile, but charged with excitement about the goals they wanted to achieve. Through the windows, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the practice fields where players would soon report for voluntary workouts.
Patrick Belichick entered first, dressed in a crisp polo bearing the Tigers logo. His face was unreadable as he took a seat near the centre of the table, nodding briefly to Nathan. Behind him came Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator, carrying a thick binder that he set down with a soft thud. The portly coach adjusted his glasses and surveyed the room with a wary expression.
Rex Ryan strode in with a more relaxed swagger, his energy filling the room immediately. "Afternoon, gentlemen," he announced, his voice carrying that unmistakable New York edge despite his years away. He spotted Xavier and grinned. "So this is the war room, huh? Seen worse."
"Wait till you see the weight room," Xavier replied dryly, earning a chuckle from Rex as he dropped into his chair.
The rest of the staff followed in a steady stream. Romeo Crennel, the defensive line coach; Bob Sutton, assistant defensive coordinator and linebackers coach; Mike Heimerdinger; and Maurice Carthon represented the offensive skill positions, all wearing expressions that suggested they were still deciding whether to be optimistic or start updating their resumes.
Josh McDaniels, the newly hired quarterbacks coach from Michigan State, looked almost comically young compared to the other coaches in their middle age. His hiring had come as a surprise to everyone, as he was barely four years older than Xavier himself. His Grandfather had hired him, but when the media heard about it, they assumed it was him and dragged him through the press once again.
Not that he minded, since upon seeing the man's talent for developing QBs, he understood his grandpa's decision. The final arrivals were the representatives from the scouting department. Thomas Dimitroff, Director of College Scouting, a lean man in his early thirties with sharp Slavic facial features.
He'd somehow survived the purge, mainly because his reputation in the organisation for finding overlooked talent spoke volumes. Beside him sat James Harris, Pro Personnel Director, a former quarterback whose playing career had been cut short by injury.
"Alright," Nathan said once everyone had settled, his voice calm but commanding. "Let's get started. We've got a lot of ground to cover and not much time to cover it." He glanced at his notes before continuing. "This is our first real meeting as a staff, so let's establish how we're going to operate. Coach Belichick will have final say on all football operations, but every voice at this table matters. We build through consensus where possible, decisive action where necessary."
Belichick nodded, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. "Before we dive into the draft, I want to be clear about what kind of team we're building." His voice was measured, each word carefully chosen. "We're not chasing flashy. We're not looking for names that'll sell jerseys—that's ownership's problem." A few nervous chuckles rippled through the room. "We're building a team that can win in January. That means we need to be physical, disciplined, and smart. In that order."
~~~
"Defence wins championships," Rex interjected, unable to help himself. "You can't rely on your offence showing up every week, but a nasty defence? That's our foundation."
"Agreed," Belichick said, surprising some with how quickly he validated his new coordinator. "Which brings me to our priorities." He pulled out a sheet with handwritten notes. "We need help in the secondary—badly. We're thin at the corner, and our safeties are ageing out. Defensive line depth is another concern, especially at the end. Can't generate a pass rush if we can't rotate bodies."
Crennel grunted in agreement. "We've got maybe two guys up front, I trust in a playoff game. Everyone else is replacement level or worse."
"Offensively," Weis cut in, his Boston accent thick, "we need weapons. Testaverde can still sling it, but who's he throwing to? We've got one reliable target and a bunch of guys who'd be fourth on the depth chart for half the league."
"O-line's solid in the middle," added Dante Scarnecchia, speaking up for the first time. His voice was gravelly from years of shouting over practice. "But the tackles are question marks. We need at least one bookend we can trust."
Belichick nodded along, making occasional marks on his sheet. "Running back situation?"
"Curtis Martin is a lock, still has four years in his contract," Carthon said with a light smile, not having to start his department from scratch like some of his colleagues. "We've got some young legs who can help carry the burden, but nobody proven. If we want to control the clock and protect Vinny, we need a backup who can reliably replace him; otherwise, we might face an injury crisis."
Xavier had been listening silently, a light smile as he remembered the outspoken star. He was more focused on how Belichick commanded the room without raising his voice, guiding each coordinator toward his vision for the team he's trying to build. Each had its own consideration, knowing what each department needed to succeed.
But something was bothering him, a nagging feeling that they were all dancing around the elephant in the room. "What about the quarterback?" he asked, his voice cutting through the discussion. The room went quiet. Glances were exchanged. McDaniels, the QB coach, shifted uncomfortably.
"Testaverde's under contract until 02," Weis, the offensive coordinator, said carefully. "He's thirty-six, but he can still play. Had a rough year, but with better protection and weapons—"
"He's a bridge at best," Rex interrupted, earning a sharp look from Weis. "Come on, we all know it. Vinny's a pro, a good dude, but he's got about what five good years and maybe a championship. Even then, it would be his supporting cast taking us there."
"So we draft one," Sutton, the assistant defensive coordinator, suggested. "Got a few guys in this class with potential."
"I assume we're drafting to develop," McDaniels added quickly, warming to the topic. "Sit him behind Vinny for a year, maybe two. Let him learn the system without pressure."
Nathan was watching his grandson, recognising the expression on Xavier's face—the same look Cassius, his son-in-law, used to get when he was working through a problem. "You disagree?" he prompted, stopping the discussion.
Xavier stood, moving to the whiteboard as he picked up a marker, spinning it as he considered his words carefully. "We're in a transition phase," he began, writing the word {Face Of The Franchise} at the top of the board. "New ownership, new staff, roster turnover. We're not winning a Super Bowl next season, probably not the season after that either."
"With that attitude—" Weis started, but Nathan held up a hand.
"Let him finish."
Xavier continued. "If we draft a quarterback high this year, what's the plan? Sit him behind Testaverde like Josh said?" He looked at McDaniels, who nodded. "Okay, so he sits. Learns. Maybe plays a few games if Vinny gets hurt. Then what? Year two, does he start? Does Vinny still have the job? How do we handle the controversy when fans start calling for the rookie?"
"That's manageable," Belichick said, though his tone suggested he saw where Xavier was going.
"Is it?" Xavier challenged, as if seeking a genuine answer before continuing. "Because here's what I see happening. We draft a QB high, use significant capital on him, and then we're forced into a timeline we might not be ready for. If he sits too long, people question why we drafted him. If he plays too early and struggles, we've damaged his confidence and maybe ruined him."
He drew a timeline on the board. "What we need isn't a quarterback right now. What we need is the quarterback. The face of the franchise. The guy who's going to carry this team for the next decade." He turned to face the room. "That player might not be in this draft. Or if he is, we might be overlooking him as the plan has been to draft someone with star power college results."
"So we wait?" Harris, the pro personnel director, asked skeptically. "Just punt on the position?"
"No," Xavier said firmly. "We expand our criteria to find someone smart, and hungry with a good arm who, given the right environment, could turn into a monster. We give Testaverde until the end of his contract to be the guy who gets to test-drive Belichick's system. We use that time to fix the offensive line, get weapons, and establish the defence. We create an infrastructure that a young quarterback can step into and succeed immediately."
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To Be Continued...