The New England Patriots are expected to interview other candidates, but according to league sources, via The Athletic’s Chad Graff and RJ Kraft, the team is pursuing Mike Vrabel to replace Jerod Mayo as head coach.
On Sunday, Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced the shocking decision to fire Mayo after only one year as head coach. The Patriots finished the season with a 4-13 record, and there were serious questions regarding leadership, decision-making and the overall direction of the team.
Mayo was a first-time head coach leading the worst roster in the NFL. Meanwhile, Vrabel is a proven winner with three consecutive trips to the playoffs to show for it during his run with the Tennessee Titans.
Graff and Kraft wrote:
The Patriots are expected to begin their search for a new head coach immediately, and, according to league sources, the early signs point to one person. Kraft and company are expected to pursue Mike Vrabel, the 49-year-old former Patriots linebacker who shined for Belichick from 2001 to 2008 during the team’s first dynasty, though the franchise must conduct additional interviews for the job in compliance with the league’s Rooney Rule.
There will undoubtedly be other offers on the table for Vrabel. However, a return to New England might be hard to pass up considering everything currently in place.
Vrabel already has a longstanding relationship with the Patriots’ ownership, and he’d be getting a team with a future franchise quarterback already in place, along with the most salary cap space in the NFL. Fixing the Patriots is a daunting task for anyone brave enough to take on the job,
And yet, they’d have everything they needed to make it a successful venture.
