The New England Patriots are the first team off of the board when it comes to their coaching search. Before Wild Card Weekend could be concluded, team owner Robert Kraft made his decision, bringing in former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel to be the team’s next head coach. The move was expected and applauded by NFL pundits, and one ESPN analyst is hoping that he’ll get to play against Vrabel and New England twice each year.
Rex Ryan Reacts To Mike Vrabel Hiring
The AFC East was the only division in the NFL with multiple head coaching vacancies. The Patriots along with the New York Jets had a position to fill entering the off-season, and even overlapped some with the candidates that they were interested in. While Vrabel is a familiar face from his time as a player with New England, the Jets have been rumored to be flirting with someone who has spent plenty of time around their franchise, as well.
Rex Ryan held the title as Jets head coach from 2009 until 2014. He was one of the most successful coaches in franchise history, bringing them to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances in his first and second seasons. But he failed to produce a winning season in any of his final four years in New York, eventually finishing his time there with a 46-50 overall record.
Rex Ryan’s reaction to New England hiring Mike Vrabel: pic.twitter.com/gjXJ6C4cJj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2025
The word around the league is that the Jets might want him back. Now an analyst on ESPN, Ryan has dropped not-so-subtle hints over the past week about a possible reunion, going as far as commenting on his plans for the Aaron Rodgers situation should he eventually get the job.
Then, when the news broke on Sunday morning about the hiring of Mike Vrabel in New England, Ryan had a strong message for the new AFC East hire:
“Hopefully I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year.”
Both the Patriots and Jets have had their struggles over the past few years. New England stumbled through the Jerod Mayo “era” in 2024 and are looking for a return to greatness under Vrabel, and a new regime in New York could spell the end of Rodgers’ tenure with the Jets and a fresh start with on-field talent already in place.
They were the bottom two teams in the AFC East this past season, combining for 9 wins and 25 losses. Both currently hold the rights to picks within the top-7 in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
