Continuity is key in every business, but especially professional sports. Just ask the New England Patriots, who experience one of the highest turnover rates among coaching staffs in football yet are consistently lauded for their strategic advantages on a weekly basis. New England routinely shuffles in anonymous receivers and defensive players every season, too, never missing a beat.

While the presence of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick obviously has a lot do with the Patriots' incredible longevity of success, one former NFL decision-maker believes another factor has played a major role, too. As former New York Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum tells it, New England's player-development program has been integral to the team's ongoing dynasty.

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“There was a lot of things to admire about [the Patriots’] program, but one of the things that stood out was they did a really good job of filling needs from within, that weren’t necessarily household names,” he said, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. “Their player development was just really good. And guys that nobody talked about in training camp were meaningful contributors toward the end of the season. That’s the essence of coaching and player development.”

Tannenbaum began his tenure with the Jets in 1997, ascending to the role of general manager in 2006. He was fired in 2012. In 2015, after three years spent working for a sports management company, Tannenbaum returned to the NFL to be the Miami Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations. He was relieved of his duties at the end of last season, though, and has subsequently signed a broadcasting deal with ESPN.