Less than a year after the Bill Belichick divorce and the hiring of Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots are on the lookout for their next head coach. The decision came after weeks of turmoil where it felt like Mayo might be on the hot seat.
It has even split the fan base in two. While most are angry with management for letting him walk after just one season, there is some optimism in the air. After all, there is one name who has been on the Patriots’ radar who might be next in line. Moreover, one NFL insider gave the Mike Vrabel idea some cannon fodder as well.
Mike Vrabel Has Interest in Patriots’ HC Job
When Belichick’s tenure in New England came to an end, many believed Vrabel would be first in line as the next head coach. Another defensive magician, his firing from the Tennessee Titans paved the way for him to take on a new role with the Patriots.
However, the team decided to go in a different direction, letting Mayo kick-start the rebuild project. In Year 1, the results were wildly erratic. A poor offensive line led the team to have the 28th-ranked offense according to PFN’s proprietary offense rankings.
However, rookie and potential franchise QB Drake Maye was mighty impressive, finishing 20th in PFN’s QB+ metric, the second-highest mark among all rookies. Regardless, the team went ahead with the decision. And as it turns out, all signs point to Vrabel once again being first in line for the job.
Jeff Howe, whose been The Athletic’s NFL national insider for awhile now, broke the story first. “The belief, among sources close to the situation, is Mike Vrabel has been interested in the Patriots’ potential vacancy in recent weeks. And he’d have some quality assistants who would be prepared to go with him if that’s how it unfolds.”
The belief, among sources close to the situation, is Mike Vrabel has been interested in the Patriots' potential vacancy in recent weeks. And he'd have some quality assistants who would be prepared to go with him if that's how it unfolds. https://t.co/YIbj8ymaOf
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) January 5, 2025
There is plenty of upside for the Patriots when it comes to Vrabel. A defensive-minded head coach in the ilk of Bill Belichick, he might be critical in instilling a culture within the locker room. Moreover, during his time with the Titans, discipline was a priority as the team had the third-best penalty margin in the entire league for the length of his tenure.
For a young and inexperienced team like New England, that attention to detail might do them wonders.
One of the key pieces to the Vrabel hiring would be, as Howe writes, “quality assistants who would be prepared to go with him.” The obvious name to come to mind is Arthur Smith, who took over as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
During their time together, Vrabel’s squad was fifth in PPG, while ranking in the top 10 each season. According to PFN’s Offense+ metric, they were the No. 6 and No. 2 offense in their two years together.
If Smith comes alongside Vrabel, Maye’s stock could skyrocket and New England could quickly turn its franchise around. And given the way the Patriots operated under Belichick, previous reports of strife with ownership might not come into play this time around for Vrabel.
For those in the unknown, Vrabel reportedly “wanted full control over the roster,” becoming a de facto general manager. However, Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk didn’t accept his demands. However, the Patriots operated under that model during the Belichick era. A return to the same ideology might not be out of the realm of possibility.
The dots connecting Vrabel to the Patriots are far too many for it to just be a coincidence. Whether it turns into reality or a fever-pitch pipedream, we’ll see in the near future.