New England Patriots helmet Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots appear to have made their decision on who they want to be their next head coach.

After parting ways with Jerod Mayo earlier this month, the Patriots launched a search for a new head coach. According to a report by Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe, it sounds like the team has chosen Mike Vrabel – assuming they finalize the deal.

Yang reports that negotiations between Vrabel and the Patriots are currently underway.

“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 seems like a natural fit for the Patriots, given his deep ties to the organization. From 2001 to 2008, he was a cornerstone of the New England defense, winning three Super Bowl titles under the guidance of legendary head coach Bill Belichick.

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Needless to say, this news led to a lot of reactions on social media.

“This was the worst-kept secret in the history of the league,” one fan wrote on X.

“Why didn’t they hire him last year instead of pretending like Mayo actually had a chance?” someone else added.

“This had to be the most expected move of the coaching cycle,” another person wrote.

“Instead of wasting Mayo’s time, why not just do this last year,” someone else said.

“We knew this the second Mayo got fired,” another person added.

“What a surprise!” someone else said.

While the contract is yet to be finalized and Vrabel still needs to put pen to paper, it’s clear that he is the team’s choice.