Mike Vrabel has agreed to a contract that will make him the next head coach of the New England Patriots.
As a former Patriot linebacker, Vrabel helped contribute to three Super Bowl titles and was named a First-team All-Pro during the 2007 season for his play. His familiarity with the organization as well as his current coaching resume made him a viable candidate for the job.
As a coach, Vrabel spent three seasons with Ohio State before returning to the National Football League (NFL) as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans. His efforts as the defensive coordinator during the 2017 season attracted the attention of the Tennessee Titans, who hired him prior to the 2018 season.
In his time with the Titans, Vrabel posted a 54-45 regular season record as well as a 2-3 playoff record. He was named Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading the team to a 12-5 record and the number one seed in the American Football Conference (AFC). Vrabel was dismissed after the Titans posted a 6-11 record in the 2023 season.
This past season, Vrabel has been with the Cleveland Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant. Once his contract expired on Dec. 30, Vrabel was free to interview with teams for head coach openings. After nearly two weeks of interviewing with different NFL franchises such as the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, Vrabel was named the next Patriots head coach.
Vrabel will be replacing Jerod Mayo, who was fired after overseeing a 4-13 record that was fifth worst in the league. The Patriots also interviewed Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton for the job.
Vrabel’s past ties to the organization as well as his success with the Titans made him a good fit for the job. His ability to elevate suboptimal rosters will be helpful as the Patriots look to continue building around quarterback Drake Maye.
