Dec 24, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel looks on from the sideline during the first half against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
A week after firing Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots officially announced Mike Vrabel as their new head coach.
All signs pointed to the hiring the moment the news of Mayo’s firing hit. That speculation was amped up even further when the team started hosting interviews a couple of days later. The Patriots moved like a team that had a sense of direction and purpose.
Basically, they already had a plan and knew exactly what they were doing.
That plan landed them the top candidate in this year’s head coaching cycle. Vrabel probably could have chosen any team and situation, and he ultimately decided to come back to New England. There’s obviously a nostalgia factor to coach at the same place he won three Super Bowls with as a player.
But there’s also the fact that the Patriots already have a young potential star quarterback in place, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft and a projected $133 million in salary cap space heading into the offseason.
Here’s how the NFL world reacted to the news:
I get the criticism over the Patriots not conducting a more comprehensive coaching search. Ideally, you’d want to meet with a larger pool of candidates to, at the very least, pick their brains and gather ideas.
But it was pretty obvious that they were targeting Vrabel when they…
— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) January 12, 2025
Homecoming: Mike Vrabel and the Patriots reached a multi-year agreement to make him New England’s next head coach, per sources.
Vrabel now is the seventh individual to become the head coach for a franchise he once helped win a Super Bowl as a player, joining Jerod Mayo, Bart… pic.twitter.com/LR3cpdHNQf
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2025
The Patriots have reached agreement on a deal to make Mike Vrabel their next head coach, sources confirm. Vrabel played eight seasons in New England, won three Super Bowls there, and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame,
First of 6 NFL openings filled.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 12, 2025
Even though the process left a lot to be desired, the Patriots did narrow it down to the two best candidates. Vrabel’s teams always played hard and to their fullest talent in Tennessee, even if it wasn’t always pretty.
Need, need, need to nail the OC hire.
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) January 12, 2025
This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: NFL world reacts to Patriots hiring Mike Vrabel as new head coach
