The New England Patriots chose one of their former linebackers as head coach, but it didn’t work out. Now they might try another one.
Mike Vrabel has entered contract negotiations to become the Patriots’ next head coach, according to the Boston Globe. He would replace Jerod Mayo, who was fired after just one season.
The biggest difference between Vrabel and Mayo is experience. Vrabel was 54-45 over six seasons, including three trips to the playoffs and one to the AFC title game, as head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel also has a strong Patriots connection. He spent eight of his 14 NFL seasons with the Patriots and was part of three Super Bowl championship teams led by Bill Belichick.
Vrabel to the Patriots seems like a good fit for a rebuilding team. When the Patriots fired Mayo after a 4-13 record, it seemed like part of it was due to Vrabel’s availability. Vrabel interviewed with the Jets on Jan. 3, and the Patriots fired Mayo a few days later. It was hard to believe that the two stories were unrelated.
Vrabel is in high demand. Chicago Bears interviewed him after the Jets. There was much speculation that the Las Vegas Raiders would be interested in hiring Vrabel, given the connection between him and former Patriots teammate Tom Brady, who is now a limited owner of the Raiders. The Patriots were obviously also focusing on him in their search.
The reason Vrabel was a popular name was his time with the Titans. Vrabel began his head coaching career with four straight winning seasons, including three playoff appearances. In 2021, the Titans went 12-5 and were the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Vrabel got a lot of credit for that success, and respect for him around the league didn’t dissipate too much when he had two losing seasons to end his time with the Titans.
With the Patriots, Vrabel would take over a formation that has a lot of holes. The Patriots are 8-26 over the last two seasons. But New England has hope at quarterback after Drake Maye’s promising rookie season.
Vrabel seemed like a good fit for the Patriots last season, but the Patriots would have had an agreement with Mayo to be Belichick’s successor. After an unsuccessful season with Mayo, Vrabel was still available. And the Patriots seem to have chosen him as a target.
