Mike Vrabel

NFL Staff Rumors: Raiders, Jets, 49ers

January 12th, 2025 at 9:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Based on several reports in recent days, we’ve been pushing the assumption that part-owner Tom Brady has immense influence in the Raiders‘ operations, namely the ongoing searches for a new head coach and general manager. This sentiment was all but confirmed in an article today by Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. One of Bonsignore’s sources with knowledge of the situation told him that “this is Tom’s show now” and that majority owner Mark Davis wants Brady to have a “huge” voice in the team’s operations.

Brady’s influence does appear to have its limits, though. According to Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic, many in the NFL pinned new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel as Brady’s top option to coach in Las Vegas. Vrabel wasn’t one of the team’s scheduled interviews, though, as those became known to the media. Apparently, Davis was “not interested in another go-round with ‘Patriots Way’ after the failure of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler two years ago.”

Brady’s voice will otherwise still be heavily considered in the search for a new head coach and general manager. Buccaneers assistant general manager John Spytek has already been identified as a potential candidate, aided by Brady’s connection to his former team. While Tafur and Reed don’t mention any actual rumored interest, they list Commanders assistant general manager Lance Newmark, Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew, Lions director of scouting Dwayne Joseph, Chiefs assistant general manager Mike Borgonzi, and Seahawks assistant general manager Nolan Teasley as names to watch for based on their potential compatibility with different head coaching candidates.

Here are a few other staff rumors from around the NFL:

The Jets were another contender for Vrabel’s services, and they reportedly were extremely interested in bringing him in. In a Q&A with Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Breer stated his belief that New York would’ve allowed Vrabel to choose his own general manager had he signed with them, especially considering their main plan is to find the best guy (head coach or general manager) and build around them to achieve alignment throughout the coaching and front office staffs. Ultimately, Breer believes the reputation of team owner Woody Johnson likely dissuaded Vrabel away from the Jets.
Staying in New York and with Breer’s peer at Sports Illustrated, Patrick McAvoy, we got a report that SportsNet New York insider Connor Hughes is under the opinion that Rex Ryan “is completely out” of the head coaching race for the Jets. Hughes was quoted on WFAN telling Rami Lavi that “that is not gonna happen with the Jets.”
Following the departure of special teams coordinator Brian Schneider, the 49ers have begun the process of replacing him. To wit, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the team has completed an interview with Lions assistant special teams coach Jett Modkins. Modkins has spent the last four seasons in Detroit under coordinator Dave Fipp, who is widely considered one of the best in the game.

Mike Vrabel Expected To Become Patriots’ Next HC

January 11th, 2025 at 11:33pm CST by Ely Allen

11:33pm: As if the below reporting wasn’t enough indication of where this coaching search was headed, Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports confirmed that the Patriots are indeed negotiating a deal with Vrabel to become their next head coach. Schultz claims that, “barring something unforeseen, the expectation remains that both sides will reach an agreement.”

4:21pm: The Patriots seem to be well on their way to replacing one former player-head coach with another. After firing former linebacker Jerod Mayo after only one season as head coach, it appears that New England is narrowing in on another former linebacker to replace him. While it has already been established that former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is the “heavy favorite,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports that contract talks are already underway.

In the segment, Pelissero’s colleague, Ian Rapoport, doubled down on Vrabel as the overwhelming favorite to land the job. Though he did mention that Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is under heavy consideration, as well, Rapoport reports that nobody he has connected with on the subject believes anyone other than Vrabel will be hired for the job. The new information in the segment is the bit from Pelissero that the Patriots have already started contract talks with Vrabel’s agent, indicating that a decision is well underway.

This is supported by a recent report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says that, while Johnson interviewed well with New England, he plans to continue meeting with other teams. She adds that the Patriots are reportedly “pushing for a quick resolution to their HC search,” with many around the league expecting a decision this weekend. With that soon of a decision expected, it’s hard to believe New England plans on hiring anyone but the person with whom they’re already discussing a contract.

Seeing the writing on the wall, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn even declined to interview for the job in New England. Glenn’s refusal to kowtow to the Patriots’ nominal attempt to fulfill the Rooney Rule with a decision already made highlights a continuing issue with New England’s hiring process. Last year, the team circumvented the rule by having a written succession plan for Mayo to take over for Bill Belichick. This year, the team seems to be scheduling interviews just to meet the requirements — at least two interviews with a minority or female candidate — despite having allegedly already made their decision. The team has currently fulfilled that requirement with interviews of former Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and former Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich.

Vrabel’s first stint as a head coach was widely viewed as a successful one. As a first-time head coach, Vrabel racked up a 54-45 regular season record and three consecutive postseason berths. His first trip to the playoffs resulted in a trip to the AFC Championship Game, while his next two visits were one-and-dones. He was fired by Tennessee after two consecutive losing seasons in 2022 and 2023 and served as a coaching and personnel consultant in Cleveland this year after failing to land the Chargers’ head coaching gig.

As the decision to bring on Vrabel seems to be drawing nearer and nearer, so, too, is the assumption that he will reunite Josh McDaniels with his former team. Josh Jones of CBS Sports reiterated today the prediction that McDaniels will serve as Vrabel’s offensive coordinator.

Mike Vrabel ‘Heavy Favorite’ For Patriots Job; Josh McDaniels In Mix To Return As OC?

January 9th, 2025 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mike Vrabel‘s Patriots interview will take place today, and with the Patriots having satisfied the Rooney Rule, they could make a hire soon. Though, both Lions coordinators — Ben Johnson, Aaron Glenn — have received requests as well. Johnson’s interview is set for Friday.

Nothing, however, has emerged suggesting Vrabel’s pole position here has been threatened. The former Patriots linebacker and Titans HC is viewed as the “heavy favorite” for the New England job, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. It will be interesting to see how eager Vrabel is here, as he has also come up in just about every other search during this year’s cycle. But a Patriots offer could be on tap soon.

The Pats passed on a Vrabel pursuit last year, which certainly represented a risk since a proven HC with close ties to the team could have been scooped up shortly after his Titans dismissal. A year later, though, Vrabel is still available. This probably played into Robert Kraft‘s decision to fire Jerod Mayo so soon. Vrabel, 49, turning the Patriots down could throw this search off axis; though, Johnson’s immediate interest in taking an interview here is notable in the event the team pivots from what appears a Vrabel-centric plan.

Before the New England job became available, Vrabel connections to Josh McDaniels emerged. The northeast Ohio natives and former Patriots coworkers have stayed close, to the point OC rumors regarding McDaniels are still coming out. Buzz indeed is connecting McDaniels to being Vrabel’s OC with the Pats or another team, Fowler adds. That scenario would be the most interesting in Foxborough, as it would mean a third go-round in the role for the polarizing coach.

McDaniels has failed twice as a head coach, being fired during his second season by both the Broncos and Raiders. The unpopular leader’s days as a head coach are probably over, but he has proven to be a quality coordinator in New England. McDaniels, 48, served as Patriots OC from 2006-08 — a period that featured Tom Brady go from three-time Super Bowl winner complementing a stout defense to the All-Pro tier after a record-setting 2007 — and again from 2012-21. The latter period brought the Pats three more Super Bowl wins and elevated Brady to an unassailable perch. McDaniels’ work with Mac Jones in 2021 has also aged well, given the events of the former first-rounder’s career since, and it would stand to reason the Patriots would be interested in another reunion.

Vrabel overlapped with McDaniels throughout his playing days with the Pats, with the Bill Belichick assistant joining the team in 2001 — when Vrabel signed as a free agent — and then leaving for Denver shortly before the Matt Cassel trade sent Vrabel to Kansas City. McDaniels also has continued to communicate with Belichick, discussing potential landing spots for his former boss. He was tied to following Belichick to another NFL destination, but after the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC chose the college route, McDaniels remains unattached.

The Tar Heels kept Freddie Kitchens onboard, with a potential OC role in play, and hired ex-Raiders staffer Matt Lombardi — the son of new North Carolina GM Michael Lombardi — recently, per 247Sports.com’s Matt Zenitz. The younger Lombardi may be joining the ACC program as QBs coach, teaming with Kitchens. McDaniels has not worked since his Raiders ouster, so it will be worth monitoring a potential North Carolina trip if he is shut out of this year’s NFL hiring cycle. Though, Vrabel could certainly see to it that he isn’t.

Coaching Rumors: Seahawks, Vrabel, Getsy, Saints, Slowik, Harbaugh

January 8th, 2025 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Seahawks are not set to clean house on offense, but they are not considering anyone from Ryan Grubb‘s staff to be their next OC after making Grubb an one-and-done. Mike Macdonald confirmed as much (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta), while praising the team’s young core in hyping up the job. Although the Seahawks are only preparing to look outside the organization for help, Macdonald added (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) play-calling experience will not be required. This is not too uncommon, as teams regularly hire quarterbacks coaches or pass-game coordinators to be OCs. Those roles generally do not feature play-calling duties. The team has already put in interview requests, per Macdonald, though no names have surfaced yet. Additionally, Macdonald said (via Condotta) the new hire, as could be expected, will not be forced to retain all of Grubb’s staff. More changes should be expected.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

Mike Vrabel looks to have a much better chance of landing a job this year compared to 2024, though he did interview with a few teams following his surprising Titans ouster. One of those meetings came with the Panthers, who were coming off a 2-15 season. As Vrabel did not view himself as a strong candidate to land the Falcons’ job, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt notes that the then-recently fired coach was not interested in the Carolina position (subscription required). David Tepper‘s presence had hurt the perception of the Panthers’ job at that point, as the owner had been accused of meddling in personnel matters — during a second straight season in which he fired a head coach — before throwing a drink on a fan during a late-season game in 2023. Dave Canales took over and is set to begin a second offseason in charge, while Vrabel is viewed as the Patriots’ lead candidate.
The Saints do not have as many HC candidates compared to the Bears and Jets, but they do not appear interested in expanding right now. Aaron Glenn, Kellen Moore, Joe Brady, Anthony Weaver, Darren Rizzi, Mike Kafka and Vrabel comprise New Orleans’ current list, and ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler views this as the full group for the foreseeable future.
Bobby Slowik appeared on interview lists last year, but the Texans OC’s second season has not gone as well. Only one team, the Jets, has contacted Slowik about an HC interview this year. As the Texans prepare for their playoff matchup with the Chargers, SI.com’s Albert Breer does not tab Slowik as automatic to return for a third season. The former 49ers assistant, after a C.J. Stroud sophomore slump, will likely need to present a plan to DeMeco Ryans to keep the gig — even after the team extended its play-caller last January. That deal came with a significant raise, but Houston’s offense dropped from 12th to 22nd in yardage and 13th to 19th in points.
Weeks after Robert Saleh resurfaced with longtime friend Matt LaFleur‘s Packers, the NFC North team rehired one of its former assistants for a similar role. After being canned as Raiders OC, Luke Getsy is helping out the Packers as an advisor, per the Chicago Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley. Getsy had been working remotely for a few weeks. While Saleh has helped Green Bay’s offense with preparation, Getsy — a former Packers QBs coach before his two OC stints elsewhere — had been helping the defense.
Jim Harbaugh signed a five-year deal worth $16MM per season last January, and his latest quick-turnaround effort brought additional compensation. The first-year Chargers HC collected a $1MM bonus for guiding the team to the playoffs, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes.

Patriots Arrange Mike Vrabel HC Interview, Met With Pep Hamilton For Job

January 7th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

After being passed over during the 2024 HC carousel, Mike Vrabel missing out this year would be borderline shocking. He has now been tied to every team with a vacancy; that includes the Raiders, who just made their Antonio Pierce firing official.

The Patriots, however, have made the former Super Bowl-winning linebacker and Titans HC their frontrunner. What stands to be a significant meeting is now on tap. Vrabel will meet with his former team Thursday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

New England has also already brought in another candidate, having met with former Colts and Texans OC Pep Hamilton, Rapoport and NFL.com colleague Tom Pelissero add. This comes after a Byron Leftwich meeting. While it comes across as cynical, the Pats have now satisfied the Rooney Rule requirement that stipulates clubs must meet with two external minority candidates before hiring a head coach. This is not to outright dismiss Leftwich and Hamilton, but neither has coached in the NFL for the past two seasons. The team has announced both interviews, setting the stage for Vrabel.

An expedited process burned the Patriots last year, as they did not interview any other candidates before promoting Jerod Mayo. A quick Vrabel decision would not technically be especially different, but the ex-Patriots defender has obviously proven plenty already. The former NFL Coach of the Year has also drawn widespread interest, as the Patriots are now competing with several teams. However, a report last week pointed to Vrabel being interested in the job. It is also worth wondering if the Patriots would have fired Mayo so quickly had they not known Vrabel was a prime candidate to accept an offer.

The Pats would not be the first team to meet the Rooney Rule requirement and then quickly hire another coach. Although Pierce is Black, the Raiders did so last year, meeting with Leslie Frazier and Kris Richard before quickly removing Pierce’s interim tag. The Pats took the interesting step of inserting language in Mayo’s contract to circumvent the Rooney Rule, naming the Black assistant Bill Belichick‘s successor. The Mayo move did not work out, with Robert Kraft blaming himself for a mistake. It is certainly possible the Pats want a proven commodity to quickly move past that chapter.

It should not be determined a Vrabel New England return is an open-and-shut process, but it would be surprising if the Pats did not offer him the job. Vrabel, 49, spent this past season as a Browns consultant. He took the Titans to three playoff berths, winning two AFC South titles and helping the team to its first AFC championship game since 2002.

A Patriot from 2001-08, the former linebacker/occasional red zone receiving weapon trekked to Foxborough during Tennessee’s bye week last season — an act that did not go over well with Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk — to go into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame. Vrabel sat with Kraft during that ceremony. While the owner passed on an interview last year in elevating Mayo (whom Kraft had said he had deemed Belichick’s successor years ago), it appears the Patriots want this hire to happen soon.

Hamilton, 50, last coached as Texans OC in 2022. Andrew Luck‘s former OC in Indianapolis, Hamilton moved from Houston’s QBs coach in 2021 to the OC role under Lovie Smith a year later. Hamilton, who also helped Justin Herbert to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors as Chargers QBs coach in 2020, is currently working for the NFL Network.

Brian Flores, who worked with the Patriots for 15 years, is also interested in the position. No interview request has gone out. It would, however, be interesting to see if the Pats were still interested in Ben Johnson — who is believed to be prepared to interview — after the Vrabel meeting. It would stand to reason, given the Lions OC’s stock, the Pats would hold off on a Vrabel hire until at least going through the virtual meeting with Johnson.

Vrabel can meet with the Patriots in-person due to not being tied to a team; Johnson can only do so virtually for the time being. The Lions are giving Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn from Thursday to Saturday to do their interviews, SI.com’s Albert Breer adds; they are allowed to do so this week due to Detroit having secured a first-round bye.

Mike Vrabel On Jaguars’ HC Radar?

January 7th, 2025 at 1:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jaguars unveiled their initial list of head coaching targets on Tuesday. The team has submitted an interview request with eight candidates so far, but other staffers will likely receive a look as well.

One of those could well be Mike Vrabel. The former Titans head coach is on the Jaguars’ “wish list,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That comes as little surprise given the fact Vrabel has long been considered one of the top candidates in the 2025 hiring cycle. He has already interviewed with the Jets, while the Bears have issued an interview request. The Saints plan to line up a meeting as well.

Of course, the former Coach of the Year has long been connected to the Patriots given his success with the team as a player. Vrabel won three Super Bowlers with New England and he has a strong relationship with owner Robert Kraft. Once Jerod Mayo became a one-and-done coach, many immediately pointed to Vrabel as a logical replacement, and recent reporting on the matter confirms he is perceived as the team’s top candidate.

Jacksonville’s initial list of targets only includes one former head coach: Robert Saleh. The 45-year-old was in place at the helm of the Jets from 2021 through the first five weeks of this campaign. His firing brought about an end to his first NFL head coaching gig, one which was preceded by a four-year stretch as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. That, in turn, came after Saleh worked with a number of teams as a position/quality control coach, including three years coaching the Jaguars’ linebackers. Currently working as a Packers consultant, his candidacy will be one of the more interesting ones to follow this winter.

As Schefter notes, Lions coordinator Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn are also top Jaguars targets. That falls in line with the interest both coaches have already received from other teams and comes as no surprise since both have received an interview slip from Jacksonville. Vrabel (whose Browns contract recently expired, leaving him free to speak with teams at any time) could also become a name to watch as the Jags seek out their Doug Pederson replacement.

Bears To Interview Mike Vrabel; Saints Also In Contact

January 7th, 2025 at 9:15am CST by Adam La Rose

To no surprise, Mike Vrabel is one of the most sought-after candidates in the 2025 hiring cycle. Already on the radar of the Jets and Patriots, the former Coach of the Year is drawing further interest.

The Bears have lined up an interview with Vrabel, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports. The meeting will take place tomorrow, he adds. Chicago sent out several interview requests yesterday, but of course in Vrabel’s case that is not necessary. The former Titans coach recently saw his consulting contract with the Browns expire, leaving him free to speak with interested teams at any time.

Vrabel has already interviewed with the Jets, and the same will very likely be the case with the Patriots soon. New England fired Jerod Mayo on Sunday, ending his run as head coach after only one season. In the immediate aftermath of that decision, many pointed to Vrabel as Mayo’s likely successor. Indeed, as thing stand, the former Patriots linebacker is considered New England’s preferred choice. Vrabel will have several options to consider prior to taking the Patriots gig if that turns out to be his intent, though.

Chicago’s list of targets covers a wide range of experienced former head coaches – including Vrabel and longtime Seahawks HC Pete Carroll – along with many of the top coordinators on the market. Vrabel spent six years at the helm of the Titans, leading the team to three straight postseason appearances (2019-21). The downward trend the team experienced in his last two years – resulting in a 13-21 record – has not done much damage to his stock around the league given the interest being shown so far.

That includes the Jets, Patriots and Bears, but one of the other teams with a vacancy is also looking into Vrabel. The Saints are in contact and are attempting to line up an interview, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports. New Orleans has been on the lookout for a new coach since Dennis Allen‘s firing midway through the campaign, and the team sent out five interview requests yesterday. Before that took place, Vrabel had already been mentioned as a name to watch for the Saints, so it comes as no surprise a meeting will likely be on the books soon.

For the coaches of playoff teams, rules are in place governing when (and, with respect to virtual or in-person interviews, how) candidates can meet with suitors. That does not apply to Vrabel, of course, so he could be among the first dominoes to fall during this year’s hiring cycle. It will be interesting to see how his initial round of interviews shakes out.

Mike Vrabel Seen As Patriots’ Top HC Target

January 6th, 2025 at 10:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Patriots did not wait for ‘Black Monday’ to arrive when making the decision to fire Jerod Mayo. His tenure as head coach ended after only season, and New England is now one of five teams in need of a new coach.

Interview requests have started coming out, and the Patriots are set to meet with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The most sought-after candidate in the 2025 cycle will have a number of other suitors, but the Patriots have of course been heavily linked to Mike Vrabel. The former New England linebacker is, to no surprise, considered the top name to watch as the team’s search takes place.

Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston notes it is “safe to presume” Vrabel is the top option for the Patriots as they seek out Mayo’s replacement. Meanwhile, Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal adds six executives from around the league believe Vrabel will wind up being hired by New England. The former Titans coach spent much of the 2024 campaign as a consultant with the Browns, but his contract recently expired, leaving him free to interview with interested teams.

That has already seen Vrabel meet with the Jets, a team which has expressed interest in adding experience on the sidelines and in the front office. Fox Sports’ Peter Schrager reports that interview went “very well,” and the Patriots could have competition from inside and outside the AFC East as a result. The Saints have been named as a team to watch regarding a Vrabel interview, while the presence of Tom Brady fueled a recent report stating the Raiders’ top option to replace Antonio Pierce would be Vrabel. At this point, though, Pierce remains in place as Vegas’ coach.

Vrabel played 14 years in the NFL, including eight with the Patriots. The three-time Super Bowl champion is held in high regard by owner Robert Kraft and New England’s front office; as such, connections have long been made between the two. Vrabel, 49, was in charge of the Titans from 2018-23 in a stretch which included Coach of the Year honors in 2021.

Tennessee reached the playoffs three straight seasons under Vrabel, but the last two years of his tenure resulted in a combined record of 13-21. Brian Callahan was brought in last offseason as a replacement, and while the Titans bottomed out to the point of landing the top pick in the upcoming draft he appears safe to coach at least one more year. Given the relative dearth of known commodities in the 2025 coaching cycle, Vrabel’s stock remains high.

It will be interesting to see if the Mayo firing is quickly followed by a serious Vrabel pursuit. Kraft could be cautioned against bringing in another ex-player in the wake of Mayo’s struggles, but for now it would come as no surprise if he were to take that route again.

Jets Interview Mike Vrabel For HC Job

January 3rd, 2025 at 11:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Rumored to have Mike Vrabel high on their list of prospective head coaches, the Jets have an important meeting set up for today. They will meet with the former Titans HC at their facility, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt reports.

Vrabel’s consulting contract with the Browns expired this week, giving him the ability to meet with teams at any point moving forward. Candidates who are still tied to teams are not yet permitted to conduct interviews — either virtually or onsite. Vrabel can as a coaching free agent, and he will take advantage of that status.

Vrabel, 49, has become expectedly popular on what is considered to be a thinner coaching carousel. A mid-December report tabbed him as the Jets’ preferred candidate. Since, he has been tied to the Patriots, Raiders and Saints. While the New England job is believed to be one he would strongly consider, the Pats are not committed to making Jerod Mayo a one-and-done. The Raiders have also not committed to firing Antonio Pierce, but Vrabel’s past with Tom Brady — the broadcaster/minority owner who is expected to play a lead role in the AFC West team’s offseason — has tripped alarms across the league regarding a potential fit.

The Browns recruited Vrabel to help out this season, as both sides learned from the other party’s differing style. Vrabel aided the analytically geared organization both in practice and on gamedays, with Rosenblatt indicating the former Titans HC began traveling to Browns road games around the midseason point. Vrabel worked with both Cleveland’s tight ends and offensive line, transitioning to the latter area during the year. Browns brass also picked Vrabel’s brain regarding personnel.

Rumors about the Jets needing to overpay to obtain a high-end HC candidate have surfaced. Woody Johnson‘s meddling became perhaps their defining 2024 story. The owner made his voice known in personnel matters regularly, from firing Robert Saleh without consulting GM Joe Douglas, to interceding on trades and free agency matters. Madden-based decisions involving his teenage sons became the most memorable component of an eventful year for the Jets owner, who is part of an HC hiring process for the first time since 2015, having previously served in Donald Trump’s presidential administration.

Johnson is not expected to return to the Trump administration, calling his role with the Jets into question. Vrabel clashed with Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk during the final stretch of his Titans tenure and may have multiple offers, giving the Jets a potential uphill battle to fight given Johnson’s involvement. They are, however, not committed to building their next power structure around a GM or a head coach. Given Vrabel’s stock, he may need a notable voice in personnel matters to take a job.

Roster control loomed as one of Vrabel’s issues with Adams Strunk, and Rosenblatt adds HC interviews last year involved teams questioning if he could effectively collaborate with a GM. The Jets having yet to hire a GM would stand to work in Vrabel’s favor.

“There’s got to be clear communication with ownership, so that we understand as coaches what the expectations are,” Vrabel said, via Rosenblatt. “That’s so we can explain to them what’s reasonable, what we can do, what we probably can do and what we’re going to try to do — or die trying. I want to have a structure in place that people see the game the same way I do from an X’s-and-O’s standpoint, from a personnel standpoint, with team-building. We would hopefully have that alignment, which is critical.

“And I would like to be able to say that there’s a quarterback that you feel like you can win with — or that there’s a path to find the one that you can win with.”

Vrabel will follow Ron Rivera in interviewing with the Jets, who have regularly hired defensive-minded HCs (Saleh, Todd Bowles, Rex Ryan and Eric Mangini among them) during Johnson’s ownership tenure. Arthur Smith is also believed to be in play for the job, but unattached names will have the first shot at speaking with the team, which must eventually meet with two external minority candidates to satisfy the Rooney Rule.

Patriots Still Expected To Retain Jerod Mayo; Mike Vrabel Interested In Job?

January 1st, 2025 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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