Robert Kraft stayed true to his word that the New England Patriots would move quickly to find a new coach.
The Patriots announced Sunday they have reached an agreement with former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel. New England will become the first NFL team this offseason to bring aboard a new coach, with the move coming one week after the franchise fired Jerod Mayo after only one season.
Vrabel, 49, interviewed with the Patriots on Thursday. In addition to talking with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, New England also spoke with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, thereby satisfying the Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for any head coaching vacancy.
Vrabel, who also interviewed with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, was expected to be one of the most in-demand candidates on the open market. He compiled a 54-45 record and led the Titans to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019-21, including an AFC championship game berth in his first trip to the postseason. After being dismissed last January and not landing a head-coaching role with any other team, Vrabel spent this past season as a coaching and personal consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
Vrabel already had a longstanding relationship with Kraft after his eight-year run as a linebacker and goal-line tight end for the Patriots. A key cog in three of Bill Belichick’s Super Bowl-winning teams who went on to be selected to the Patriots’ 50th Anniversary Team, Vrabel spoke reverently of the organization during his October 2023 induction into the franchise’s Hall of Fame.
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‘I want you not to take this organization for granted,’ Vrabel said. ‘I’ve been a lot of places. This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.’
Mayo, who was appointed Bill Belichick’s successor prior to the legendary coach’s 24-year run ending last offseason, was dismissed following a 4-13 campaign. Kraft took the blame for putting Mayo in what he called an ‘untenable situation,’ but he said he believed the team regressed from midseason onward.
‘In the end, I’m a fan of this team first, and now I have to go out and find a coach who can get us back to the playoffs and hopefully championships,’ said Kraft, who added he wanted to move quickly to find a replacement.
With Vrabel in the fold, the pressure will be on in New England to overhaul a roster that was largely still made up of Belichick holdovers. New England is projected to have in excess of $123 million in cap space – more than any other team, according to Over The Cap – and holds the No. 4 pick in the NFL draft. The offensive line and receiving corps are likely to be particular points of interest for a team looking for additional avenues of support for quarterback Drake Maye, the No. 3 pick in last year’s NFL draft.