It appears that the New England Patriots have made their decision on who they want to be their next head coach.
After parting ways with former head coach Jerod Mayo after just one season leading the team, the Patriots have been searching for a new head coach for the past several days, and according to a report from Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe, the Patriots have decided on Mike Vrabel to fill the position.
Yang reports that the two sides are currently in contract negotiations.
“The Patriots have entered contract negotiations with their lead head coaching candidate Mike Vrabel, according to a league source,” Yang wrote for the Boston Globe.
“Although a deal has yet to be finalized, Vrabel remains the favorite for New England’s head coaching opening after interviewing Thursday. The Patriots also interviewed Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday, in addition to Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton on Tuesday. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn denied their initial request for an interview.”
Vrabel obviously seems like a natural fit for the Patriots, considering his deep ties to the organization. From 2001 to 2008, Vrabel was a key member of the New England Patriots defense where he won three Super Bowl titles playing under legendary head coach Bill Belichick.
After a successful stint as the Tennessee Titans head coach from 2018 to 2023, Vrabel is widely regarded as one of the most sought-after coaching candidates this offseason.
During his tenure with the Titans, Vrabel led the team to three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019 to 2021, including a trip to the AFC Championship game in 2019. He was also honored as the NFL Coach of the Year in 2021.
While a deal has yet to be finalized, and Vrabel still needs to sign the contract, it’s clear that he is New England’s pick.
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