The New England Patriots have hired their 16th head coach in franchise history.
Per multiple reports, the Patriots plan to bring back their former Super Bowl-winning champion as their new head coach.
Mike Vrabel, 49, emerged as one of the top candidates in this head-coaching cycle. He interviewed with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets before meeting with the Patriots.
As the head coach of the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel compiled a 54-45 record and led the team to the playoffs three times. The Associated Press named him NFL Coach of the Year in 2021. However, after two consecutive losing seasons, the Titans fired him in 2023.
In 2024, Vrabel worked as a personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
Vrabel began his coaching career at Ohio State, where he served as the linebackers coach in 2011 before transitioning to defensive line coach in 2012. In 2014, he joined the NFL as the linebackers coach for the Houston Texans. After three seasons in that role, the Texans promoted him to defensive coordinator in 2017. He signed a five-year contract as the Tennessee Titans’ head coach the following year. Vrabel’s first two seasons with the Titans ended with 9-7 records. In 2019, that was enough to secure a playoff spot. Many Patriots fans remember the 2019 wild-card game, where Vrabel’s Titans upset the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots 20-13 in Tom Brady’s final game as a Patriot.
Vrabel starred as a defensive end at Ohio State as a player, earning consensus first-team All-American honors as a senior. He was named to the Buckeyes’ All-Century Team in 2000. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft, and he spent his first four seasons with the team.
In 2001, Vrabel became a free agent and spent most of his playing career with the Patriots. He played in 142 games in New England and won three Super Bowls. In 2009, the Patriots traded him and quarterback Matt Cassel to the Kansas City Chiefs for a second-round draft pick.
The Patriots inducted Vrabel into their Hall of Fame in 2023. During his induction, he expressed his enduring love for New England, saying:
“This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, and great coaching. … It’s not like this everywhere.”
After firing Jerod Mayo following a disastrous 4-13 season, the Patriots interviewed just four candidates for the head coaching job. Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson emerged as a leading contender alongside Vrabel. Ultimately, the Patriots chose to stay in their comfort zone by hiring another coach with ties to the organization.
Vrabel is expected to be introduced as the 16th head coach in franchise history in the coming days.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
