Scott Pioli (born March 31, 1965) is an American football executive who most recently worked as the Assistant General Manager for the Atlanta Falcons. He was an NFL analyst for NBC Sports' Football Night in America, NBC Sports Network's Pro Football Talk, Sirius XM NFL Radio and the NFL Network. He previously served as a front office executive for the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, New York Jets, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. Pioli served as the Director – and later Vice President – of Player Personnel for the Patriots from 2001 to 2008 when the franchise won three Super Bowl championships. Early years Pioli grew up in Washingtonville, New York and attended Washingtonville High School, where he played linebacker and defensive line before graduating in 1983. Between 1983 and 1988 he attended Central Connecticut State University, graduating in 1988 with a degree in communications. He was a three-time Division II All-New England selection as a defensive tackle. In 2005, Central Connecticut inducted Pioli into their hall of fame. In 1988, after graduating with a degree in communications, he accepted a two-year graduate assistant position at Syracuse University, where he also earned a master's degree from the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Pioli served as a graduate assistant with the Syracuse football team from 1988 to 1989. In 1990, he began a two-year stint at Murray State University as an offensive line coach in his first year (1990) and as a defensive line coach in his second year (1991). Professional executive career Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens In 1992, Pioli was hired as a pro personnel assistant by Bill Belichick, then the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Pioli's relationship with Belichick dated back to the mid-1980s, when as a student at Central Connecticut, Pioli would drive 90 minutes to the New York Giants training camp. Through a mutual friend, Pioli was introduced to then-Giants defensive coordinator Belichick, who was impressed at Pioli's dedication to travel to each practice and offered him a place to stay. In Cleveland, Pioli was responsible for the evaluation of both college prospects and veteran free agents, as well as negotiating various player contracts. When the Browns moved to Baltimore after the 1995 season, Pioli stayed with the team and was promoted to Pro Personnel Coordinator for the Ravens' 1996 season and was part of the personnel staff that drafted eventual HOFers Jonathan Ogden