Mike Vrabel‘s Browns consulting gig is over; the six-year Titans leader is a coaching free agent again. Interviews with any team carrying a vacancy can commence, giving Vrabel a potential head-start on his top competition.
Regardless of what other candidates generate serious momentum, it is expected Vrabel will land a job during this cycle. After being shut out in 2024, the former Coach of the Year is being tied to several teams.
The Raiders and Saints are among them, but other clubs being connected to the experienced HC as well. The Giants, who may or may not be ready to fire Brian Daboll, have come up as a potentially interested team as well. They employ ex-Vrabel coworker Ryan Cowden, who has been mentioned as someone who could be in play as a GM alongside the former Tennessee HC.
The Jets came up early in connection to Vrabel, with a mid-December report pegging him as the team’s preferred candidate. That may still be the case, but Vrabel looks to have his eyes on another job in the AFC East. The Patriots have struggled under Jerod Mayo, as expected. More news has pointed to Robert Kraft giving his handpicked Bill Belichick successor more time, but the team also runs the risk of missing out on Vrabel for good if it passes on reopening its coaching job. Keeping Mayo could be costly from that perspective, as Sportskeeda.com’s Tony Pauline indicates Vrabel is indeed interested in the Pats’ job.
Mayo said this week (via ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss) he and Pats ownership are “still on the same page,” and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo note the expectation remains for the Pats to give Mayo a second season to further prove himself. But doubts have lingered about the team’s Belichick successor for a bit, and the trio published this report before the Patriots endured a 40-7 home loss to the Chargers.
While the team did play the high-powered Bills close in Buffalo in Week 16, the Bolts loss continued to put New England’s upcoming decision under the microscope. After all, Mayo landed this job without a coaching search taking place. Kraft inserted language in Mayo’s contract that effectively circumvented the Rooney Rule, which requires two external minorities be interviewed. No Pats search commenced, keeping a Vrabel partnership — one mentioned during the time when it looked more like the Titans would dangle their HC in trades — off the table.
Vrabel, of course, enjoyed a decorated career with the Patriots. The 2001 free agent signee helped secure three Super Bowl titles for the Patriots, operating as a regular at linebacker and moonlighting as a Tom Brady red zone option. Brady’s past with Vrabel is again relevant, with the Raiders on the radar. Vrabel may not be too interested in that job, either, per Pauline. The Raiders have gone through a few HCs in recent years, with Mark Davis presently paying three (Jon Gruden, Josh McDaniels, Antonio Pierce). Vrabel and McDaniels are close, and the coveted candidate may not be too keen on taking a job not long after the Raiders fired McDaniels.
The Jets job also is not believe to appeal to Vrabel, with Pauline pointing to a scenario in which the free agent HC uses the team as leverage. With rumors of Woody Johnson engulfing the Jets, they have their work cut out for them as they begin their HC and GM searches. The team’s lack of a long-term QB also would hurt compared to where the Patriots now are.
Las Vegas’ setup also does not feature a quarterback like the one New England has, with Drake Maye showing flashes during this down Patriots season. The Raiders’ past two wins have also dropped them out of the top five in the projected draft order. With one week to go, the Patriots hold the No. 1 overall pick. Mayo said sitting Maye — which would hinder the team’s hopes of winning in Week 18 — is on the table, but has since pointed to the rookie QB playing against the Bills.
A Buffalo team locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed could throw a wrench in any New England hopes of obtaining the 2025 top pick, and Mayo coaching for a win to help ensure he returns will work against the Pats — through a long-term lens, at least — Sunday as well. The Vrabel matter will loom through that game or until Kraft confirms Mayo will return.
The Patriots keeping Mayo would prevent a Vrabel reunion, and that will bring scrutiny due to how the organization handled its 2024 HC search. Vrabel, 49, figures to have options, so the Patriots may need to be fairly certain — perhaps through backchannel communication — that Vrabel would strongly consider them in order to can Mayo. This fairly radical decision would also deem Kraft’s succession plan a failure, something that will undoubtedly come up as the team considers its HC future. Nevertheless, the next several days will be interesting in Foxborough.
So, Bill The Best Ever decides to push Brady out of town for…Mac Jones. Clearly a man who knows what he is doing.
Then, Bob Dime Store Yank Shack Man decides to push BB out of town for…Jerod Mayo. Clearly a man who knows what he is doing.
More and more it’s clear that everyone in Foxboro just rode the coattails of the guy who knew how to pick the right “avecado ice cream” and beat the tests…while reviewing the other team’s D play calls.
Celebrate the six time cesspool…or else you’re just jealous.
It’s largely told mac the hack was forced on the Patriots by the tug job king. BB wanted nothing to do with Jones.
That 3rd paragraph is written by a probable Colts fan. Every team is pushing boundaries
I just love reading people who are still upset that the Patriots won for 20 years.
Its mind boggling how a team could affect so many people for so long. I hate the Lakers but not that much.
Patriots still have Scoreboard.
I dont think you are jealous, just obsessive.
The Lakers didn’t cheat, you clown.
You ever see the videos of Putin scoring goals playing hockey against pros? That’s your “Scoreboard”.
This is not the time to be obsessive and angry. This country is under attack.
Exactly.
We should invade Iraq.
Says the guy who has no idea what he’s doing. Get back to work.
It’s like celebrating six trophies that your mom bought you but in front of the whole nation.
Get this man child some tissues and lotion
I stopped reading at Sportskeeda. Guess PFR can’t get as good of sources as MLBTR
Major League Baseball Trade Rumors…… I get jokes…..
I have zero idea what you’re saying
In the event the Patriots move on from MAYO
Both Miracle Whip and Spin Blend are under consideration.
Win or lose on Sunday Mayo has to go…
If the Patriots hire Vrable, they better bring in a good offensive coordinator. Vrabel’s offenses his last few seasons were very predictable and easy to defend. Not sure he’s the guy who can develop Drake Maye
I have no doubt that he’d bring Josh McDaniels back. He’s not a good head coach but he’s a heck of a coordinator.
Kraft will trust his Mayo for one more season. Could Vrabel take over a talented but inconsistent roster in Naw’lins?
I doubt Vrabel has any interest in the Patriots when there are several better opportunities out there for him. Mayo appears to be in over his head but Kraft would rather save some bucks than spend for a top tier HC.
Mayo should’ve been fired just for putting Maye back in the game last week.
Mayo won’t get fired because Kraft is trying to save face instead of proving to all the fans he’s a clown and a liar I don’t understand y any coach would want to play for him after the garbage he pulled with Bill and Tom trying to take all credit and hiring Mayo behind his back is a classes move
And now we r primed with the #1 pick and there’s not a sign person who thinks they can gan get it right or knows what the hell they are doing we’ve officially become the new Browns
It’s not the losses that get me with Mayo, it’s some of the quotes and decision making. There just doesn’t seem to be any culture building or even technique building. We probably wouldn’t see it from the outside, granted, but the team has regressed in the few areas where they were doing well with Belichick. The best hope for Pats fans is that Mayo has been building a foundation of discipline in the background, but that doesn’t look good when the assumed building blocks of that foundation have seemingly regressed under his leadership.
#FireMayo