New England Patriots Hire Mike Vrabel As Head Coach

Elizandro Pereira

Mike Vrabel and Robert Kraft during Vrabel’s introductory press conference.

The saying is “third times the charm” for the New England Patriots front office; hopefully, it is true. On January 12, 2025, the Patriots introduced their third head coach in three years, former New England Hall of Fame linebacker and Super Bowl champion Mike Vrabel. This came after another tough season for the Patriots with first-time Head Coach Jerod Mayo, who was dismissed by the team after their final win against the Buffalo Bills, ending with a 4-13 season.  

This was a surprising move for many fans as this was Mayo’s first season in charge of the Patriots after the end of Bill Belichick's reign. However, team owner Robert Kraft had seen enough and felt it was best for both parties to move on. Yet, what does Vrabel bring to the table that Mayo did not? Firstly, this is not Vrabel’s first gig in the NFL. Vrabel, like Mayo, played on those great New England teams under Bill Belichick from 2001-2008 and won three Super Bowls. This aspect was crucial in New England’s hiring process as they knew that Vrabel would bring the same energy and culture from his playing time to the current team. Vrabel has also been coaching in the NFL since 2014 as he started on the Texans coaching staff as a linebackers coach, then being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. After three years in Houston, Vrabel was offered the head coaching job at the Tennessee Titans and immediately changed the team's culture. In his six years as head coach, Vrabel led the Titans to an AFC Championship game, three consecutive playoff appearances, and back-to-back AFC South titles. Still, in 2023, after years of not reaching the Super Bowl, the Titans fired Vrabel, and he became a personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns during the 2024 season.  

Vrabel will also bring some toughness to New England this year as he is known for being a player's coach who is hands-on. Vrabel's hands-on approach is intended to help players understand what is expected of them and to connect with them. This is key when building a new culture for a football team, as it builds trust and accountability between players and coaches. Vrabel has been doing this for years now, as even on the recruiting trail, he has been seen drilling players personally. Christian Wilkins, former Suffield Academy and Clemson DT, during his pro day, “lined up in front of Vrabel and showed his power as he struck a chest pad that Vrabel wore to simulate giving offensive lineman an initial punch. Vrabel took the time to coach Wilkins by throwing his hands and appeared to be impressed with a couple of Wilkins' punches.” This was unusual to see as many coaches watch from a distance during pro days, but this action grew Vrabel and Wilkins' relationship, “Coach Vrabel, me and him have a little bit of a relationship," Wilkins said. "Me being from Massachusetts, I was always a Patriots fan, so I knew who he was growing up. He recruited me when I was at Suffield Academy, and he was at Ohio State, so we have a little bit of a relationship there." Hopefully, Vrabel can build the same relationship with his new players in New England.  

One thing that fans will be anxious to see is what Vrabel’s first offseason will look like after just finishing his coaching staff. Including many of his old staff from Tennessee and even some old Patriots faces such as Josh Mcdaniels, the longtime offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for New England. Even after ending with a 4-13, this New England team has some exciting players, including the team’s future, second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who had an exciting rookie season resulting in a Pro Bowl appearance. Going into the offseason, New England holds the largest cap space in the NFL and the fourth overall pick in the draft, which means bringing in players will not be a challenge.