Mike Vrabel Named Patriots HC on Reported Multiyear Contract After Jerod Mayo Firing

After an unsuccessful season with one of their former linebackers at head coach, the New England Patriots are turning to another one they hope will be able to turn things around as Mike Vrabel was announced as the new head coach on Sunday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Vrabel agreed to a multiyear contract with the Patriots.

New England could also be set for a reunion at offensive coordinator with long-time assistant Josh McDaniels reportedly "in the mix" for the job, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported (1:19 in video):

Patriots owner Robert Kraft determined back in 2019 that Jerod Mayo would be the coach-in-waiting for whenever Bill Belichick's time with the organization came to an end. Mayo wound up going 4-13 in 2024 after taking over for Belichick, then got fired hours after the end of the regular season.

As soon as word of Mayo's firing got leaked, Vrabel immediately stood out as the most-likely potential replacement. There were rumblings he was going to be a top candidate for the organization last year until it was revealed they had a deal already in place with Mayo.

Vrabel spent the 2024 season working as a personnel consultant with the Cleveland Browns. The 49-year-old knows the Patriots organization extremely well, having played eight seasons for the team from 2001 to '08 and winning three Super Bowls.

Even though this is yet another instance of Kraft going back to the Patriots' glory days for a head coach, one of the key differences between Mayo and Vrabel is head-coaching experience.

Mayo, who played for the Patriots from 2008 to '15, was a first-time head coach and tasked with replacing the most successful coach in NFL history.

Vrabel had a successful six-year stint as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to '23. He went 54-45 overall, making three playoff appearances and advancing to the AFC Championship Game in January 2020.

Despite the recent lack of success for the Patriots, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic. Drake Maye looks like an excellent quarterback to build around, especially given how well he played as a rookie relative to the lack of talent around him on the offense.

The Patriots also have more financial flexibility than any other team this offseason with $131.3 million in cap space, along with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 draft to upgrade their roster.

There is a lot of work for Vrabel, his staff and the front office to do rebuilding the roster to make the Patriots a contender in the AFC, but they appear to be headed in the right direction after hiring a head coach with a proven track record of success.