| New England Patriots | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Vice president of player personnel | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | 1979 | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Lebanon (VA) | ||
| College: | Wofford | ||
| Career history | |||
As a staff member / executive: | |||
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Ryan Cowden (born 1979) is anAmerican football executive and former player who is currently the vice president of player personnel for theNew England Patriots of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football atWofford and has previously served with theCarolina Panthers andTennessee Titans, including as the Titans' interim general manager in2022.
Cowden attendedLebanon High School inVirginia where he was one of the state's top multi-sport athletes,[1] playingfootball as aquarterback,baseball as anoutfielder,basketball as apoint guard andtrack and field.[2] He was a three-year starter in football and compiled an overall record of 30–6, leading them to the Region C, Division 2 championship in 1994 where they lost 34–33, in what was considered one of the greatest games in Southwest Virginia history.[2]
Cowden later attendedWofford College and playedstrong safety on theirfootball team.[3] As asenior in 1999, he recorded a total of 59tackles, placing third on the team, and was theholder for kicks, throwing in that position a 29-yardtouchdown on a fakefield goal.[4] He received a degree in finance when he graduated.[3]
In2000, after graduating from Wofford, Cowden was hired by theCarolina Panthers as a scouting assistant.[5] He had worked at afireworks store onAsheville Highway before receiving the job with Carolina.[5] He became a scout for the southeast area in2001, and served in the position through2007.[6] Cowden served as a national scout from2008 to2012 and also added the position of senior college scout in2012, which he served as until being promoted to assistant director of college scouting in2014.[7]
Cowden was hired by theTennessee Titans as director of player personnel in2016.[8] He received a promotion in2018 to vice president of player personnel.[9] In that position, he oversees the entire scouting department and assists with collegiate scouting, as well as helping prepare the team for theNFL Draft.[10] AfterJon Robinson was fired as general manager of the Titans in December2022, Cowden was named interim replacement.[11]
On May 22, 2023, Cowden was hired by theNew York Giants as executive advisor to the general manager.[12] On January 13, 2025, the Giants let Cowden out of his contract to join theNew England Patriots as a front office advisor.[13]
Cowden has been previously interviewed for the general manager position by theKansas City Chiefs (in2017),[14] the Carolina Panthers (in2018),[4] theWashington Commanders (then known as the Washington Football Team, in2021),[15] the New York Giants (in2022),[16] and thePittsburgh Steelers (in2022).[17]
