The New England Patriots have made the first big move of the NFL coaching carousel, hiring Mike Vrabel. He becomes the 16th coach of the Patriots after they fired Jerod Mayo. Vrabel is a former New England Patriot and a hall of famer, so the fanbase is excited to have him back. He was also the head coach of the Tennessee Titans for six seasons. Since his firing, Mike Vrabel has been a top name on the coaching market. This hiring marks what could be a new foundation for the 4-13 New England Patriots, with Vrabel at the helm.
Mike Vrabel’s Time in Tennessee
Mike Vrabel has a proven track record as a head coach. From 2018-2023, he was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans. Before that, he was a defensive assistant coach at Ohio State University, then for the Houston Texans. During his time in Tennessee, Vrabel earned a reputation as a tough, gritty, floor-raising coach. The Titans had four winning seasons under Mike Vrabel, where they made the playoffs three times in 2019, 2020, and 2021. In the 2019 season, Vrabel led the Titans on an underdog run to the AFC Championship Game, where they were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Titans were an interesting team with Mike Vrabel at head coach. They never had one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but through hard-nosed toughness would win games. But unfortunately, outside of the 2019 playoff run, Vrabel’s teams did not go far in the postseason. In 2020 and 2021, the Titans were one-and-done in the playoffs, losing to the Ravens and Bengals. Then, in the next two seasons, Tennessee missed the playoffs with losing records. After going a disappointing 6-11 in 2023, Mike Vrabel was fired. There were tensions between Vrabel and general manager Ran Carthon, and the Titans chose to keep Carthon. Of course, Carthon was also fired after the next season.
Mike Vrabel in New England
Mike Vrabel is joining a New England Patriots organization that’s gone through extensive turmoil. After parting ways with Bill Belichick, the Patriots chose not to hire Vrabel, who was available. Instead, they promoted Jerod Mayo. Mayo was an assistant under Belichick but looked to be in over his head at head coach. In his first season, the Patriots went 4-13. The one positive from the season was Drake Maye, but outside of that, the team lacked talent and Mayo’s conservative coaching style along with an underwhelming staff did not help.
Like Mayo, Mike Vrabel is a defensive coach. He will likely rely on assistants on offense with play calling. This past season, the Patriots had Alex Van Pelt in that role. Fans were not happy with Van Pelt’s play calling and scheme, criticizing him just as much as Mayo. So, one thing to look out for will be what Vrabel does, or what he can do, with the coaching staff around him. Mike Vrabel will serve as a tone-setter and motivator, but a portion of the Patriots’ success will depend on the coordinators the organization retains or brings in.
The Coaching Carousel Moving Forward
Mike Vrabel’s hiring is a huge shakeup to the coaching carousel. Many teams wanted the 2021 AP NFL Coach of the Year. He interviewed with multiple NFL teams, and some even predicted that he would return to his alma mater and coach at Ohio State. With Vrabel now off the table and returning to New England, other teams must find new candidates. The biggest name available with Vrabel out of the running is Ben Johnson. Johnson is the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator and has been pursued for head coaching jobs for the past two off seasons. He is now the number one coach on the market, while Mike Vrabel joins the New England Patriots.
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