and Ray Lewis. New York Jets In 1997, Pioli rejoined Belichick and was hired by the New York Jets as the team's Director of Pro Personnel. Pioli was credited with the signing of a number of veteran free agents, including Kevin Mawae, Vinny Testaverde and Bryan Cox, who played critical roles in the Jets' rebuilding process which helped the team rebound from a 1–15 record in 1996 to a 12–4 record in 1998. The 1998 Jets recorded a franchise-high 12 wins and their first division title since 1968. New England Patriots When Belichick accepted the Patriots' head coaching position in 2000, Pioli became vice president of player personnel. The two eventually became the first personnel director/head coach tandem in league annals to win three Super Bowls during a four-year span (2001–2004). He and Belichick split the duties usually held by a general manager on most other NFL teams, though Belichick had the final say. Pioli's skills as a talent evaluator helped create a consistent championship contender in New England. He was regularly recognized for his ability to build a team, not simply collecting individual talent, helping to make the Patriots a "model franchise." From 2000–2008, the Patriots had an NFL-best record of 102–42 (.708) and registered 14 playoff victories. Pioli worked in close coordination with Belichick, bringing players to the Patriots who fit into the framework of the club's team concept. Pioli and Belichick's teams were noted for the depth of talent at all the positions and used an effective combination of draft picks, free-agent signings, and trades to continually upgrade their roster. The most-notable selection in an NFL Draft by Pioli and Belichick was quarterback Tom Brady, who was chosen 199th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. In his tenure with the Patriots, Pioli earned promotions from Assistant Director of Player Personnel to Director of Player Personnel in 2001, and to Vice President of Player Personnel in 2002. Also, Pioli earned a contract extension in 2005 after being pursued by several NFL teams to become general manager. In 2007, the Patriots finished their regular season with a 16–0 record, a first in NFL history. The team advanced to Super Bowl XLII but lost famously to the New York Giants 17–14 and failed to finish the season with a perfect 19–0 record. Prior to the season, Pioli executed trades to acquire wide receivers Wes Welker and Randy Moss, both of