New England Patriots
Live Blog EndedJan 12, 2025

‘I love the hire:' NFL world reacts as Vrabel named Patriots head coach

The Patriots Hall of Famer is the 16th head coach in franchise history.

NBC Universal, Inc.

Former Patriots QB Matt Cassel gives some interesting insight on Mike Vrabel after he was named Patriots’ head coach in the latest episode of the Pats Talk Podcast.

What to Know

  • Tune into NBC Sports Boston's Sports Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET as Phil Perry, Albert Breer and Chris Gasper react to Vrabel's hire.
  • Vrabel was hired one week after New England fired Jerod Mayo last Sunday.
  • The former Patriots linebacker (2001-08) spent the 2024 season as a consultant for the Browns.
  • New England interviewed just three other head coach candidates.

After a failed 4-13 season under Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots are giving it another go with a different former player.

The Patriots officially hired Mike Vrabel as the 16th coach in franchise history Sunday, ending a brief search that began when the team fired Mayo just one hour following its season-ending win over the Buffalo Bills last Sunday.

What does Vrabel's hire mean for the Patriots going forward, and who might he bring in on his staff? Follow our live blog below for up-to-the-minute analysis and reaction to Vrabel's return to New England.

JAN 1210:40 PM EST

Cassel: Vrabel will ‘make his presence felt' with Pats front office

Cassel: Vrabel will ‘make his presence felt' with Pats front office

Former Patriots QB Matt Cassel gives some interesting insight on Mike Vrabel after he was named Patriots’ head coach in the latest episode of the Pats Talk Podcast.

The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach, and we shouldn't have to wait long before he puts his stamp on the franchise.

Vrabel is a no-nonsense coach. He holds his players accountable and sets a high standard for each level of the organization.

One interesting storyline going forward is how Vrabel will mesh with the front office, and more specifically, executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf.

It's no secret that Wolf and his staff have not done a good job acquiring talent through the NFL Draft and free agency. The Patriots have arguably the worst roster in all of football.

Read Full Article

JAN 126:23 PM EST

Matt Cassel: Vrabel will bring instant stability and accountability

Former Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel spent six seasons as Mike Vrabel's teammate, both in New England (2005-08) and Kansas City (2009-10). In fact, Cassel and Vrabel were part of the same trade package when they were dealt from the Patriots to the Chiefs.

Cassel joined Tom E. Curran on a special episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast to share his insight on what Vrabel is like behind the scenes, how he might run things in New England and more.

Listen to the episode here, or watch on YouTube below.

JAN 124:34 PM EST

Rob Gronkowski reacts to Mike Vrabel hiring

During the FOX Sports pregame show for Eagles vs. Packers, former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski gave his take on New England hiring Mike Vrabel as its new head coach.

JAN 124:16 PM EST

Why Mike Vrabel is exactly the kind of head coach Patriots need right now

Why Mike Vrabel is exactly the kind of head coach Patriots need right now

Phil Perry shares what he’s heard around the league about why the Patriots head coaching role is the best available.

The New England Patriots completed a brief coaching search and, to nobody's surprise, officially announced Mike Vrabel as the franchise's new head coach Sunday.

Vrabel was one of four candidates interviewed this past week. But given all the reporting, it was pretty clear that he was the top choice throughout the process.

Vrabel, who replaces Jerod Mayo as the head coach, has a long history with the Patriots. He was a three-time Super Bowl champion as a linebacker in Foxboro from 2001 through 2008. He was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023.

Now he returns to New England in a different role -- head coach and leader of the team. After back-to-back 4-13 seasons with a rebuild that is struggling, Vrabel has a pretty tough job in front of him.

Read Full Article

JAN 122:42 PM EST

Patriots Talk: Instant reaction to the Patriots hiring Mike Vrabel

Phil Perry joined Tom E. Curran on an emergency episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast to react to Vrabel's hire and discuss what comes next.

Listen to the episode here or watch on YouTube below.

JAN 122:07 PM EST

Looking back at Vrabel's eye-opening HOF induction

Looking back at Vrabel's eye-opening HOF induction

Jordan Schultz and Scott Zolak discuss Mike Vrabel’s Patriots’ HOF induction, and how it was eye-opening to ownership.

Did Mike Vrabel drop clues about his potential return to New England during his induction to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023? Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand earlier this week to discuss.

JAN 121:34 PM EST

Rex Ryan reacts to Patriots hiring Vrabel

Rex Ryan apparently wants a crack at Mike Vrabel and the Patriots. Here's how Ryan reacted to Vrabel's hire on ESPN's NFL Countdown:

"Hopefully I get to kick this guy's ass twice a year. …My team, not me personally!"

Ryan, who previously coached the New York Jets from 2009 to 2014, interviewed for the Jets' head coach vacancy earlier this month. So, it sounds like he's angling to get that job and play the Patriots twice in the AFC East.

JAN 1212:49 PM EST

Bruschi calls out Patriots front office in reaction to Vrabel hire

Bruschi calls out Patriots front office in reaction to Vrabel hire

Former Patriots QB Matt Cassel gives some interesting insight on Mike Vrabel after he was named Patriots’ head coach in the latest episode of the Pats Talk Podcast.

Change has begun in New England, and many -- including at least one former Patriots player -- believe that's a good thing.

The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their new head coach Sunday, just one week after firing Jerod Mayo following a 4-13 season. Vrabel was widely viewed as the favorite to land the job thanks to his deep ties to New England -- he won three Super Bowls over eight seasons with the Patriots and is a member of the team's Hall of Fame -- and no-nonsense personality.

Ex-Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who spent eight seasons as Vrabel's defensive teammate in New England, gave a strong endorsement of Vrabel's hiring Sunday on ESPN's NFL Countdown.

"He's the right man for the job," Bruschi said, via ESPN's Mike Reiss. "It's been bad for the last two years with the New England Patriots organization.

Read Full Article

JAN 1212:25 PM EST

Ryan Cowden expected to join front office: Report

New York Giants executive advisor to the general manager Ryan Cowden is expected to join the Patriots' personnel department under Mike Vrabel, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reports. Cowden likely won't have a general manager title and could report to current executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf, per Robinson.

Cowden was the Tennessee Titans' head of personnel while Vrabel was head coach, and bringing Cowden to New England was Vrabel's "preference," per Robinson.

JAN 1212:02 PM EST

Mike Vrabel's coaching journey

After a 14-year NFL playing career that included eight seasons with the Patriots, Vrabel's first coaching gig was with Ohio State (his alma mater) as a linebackers coach in 2011. He spent three seasons with the Buckeyes before joining the Houston Texans as linebackers coach (2014-16) and defensive coordinator (2017), then took the Tennessee Titans head coach job.

Vrabel went 54-45 in six seasons as Titans head coach, winning two playoff games and earning Coach of the Year honors in 2021. Check out Vrabel's coaching journey in his own words below.

JAN 1211:46 AM EST

Why Vrabel didn't interview with Raiders

The Raiders were viewed as a strong suitor for Mike Vrabel based on Vrabel's connection with Vegas minority owner and ex-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who is co-leading the team's head coach search. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, though, Vrabel made it known to Brady that he intended to take the Patriots job instead.

"My understanding is the Raiders never requested an interview or tried to bring Mike Vrabel in because Vrabel essentially told Tom Brady, 'I'm going to end up going back to New England,'" Pelissero reported Sunday on NFL Network's The Insiders.

JAN 1210:57 AM EST

Who will Vrabel hire at offensive coordinator?

Mike Vrabel becoming the team’s next head coach was the expectation from the beginning, even after interviewing Lions OC Ben Johnson.

Vrabel’s experience as a head coach and his background with the organization helped make him the runaway favorite from the jump.

Attention now turns to how Vrabel will fill out his staff. The process of making choices at the coordinator spots — not to mention potential front-office additions — can begin in earnest.

Assumption in league circles is that Josh McDaniels is the top choice at OC, but we’ll see.

JAN 1210:54 AM EST

Patriots to introduce Vrabel on Monday

Confirming the Mike Vrabel hiring by the Patriots. Expect an unveiling on Monday.

JAN 1210:25 AM EST

Patriots hire Mike Vrabel as next head coach, completing brief search

Patriots hire Mike Vrabel as next head coach, completing brief search

Former Patriots QB Matt Cassel gives some interesting insight on Mike Vrabel after he was named Patriots’ head coach in the latest episode of the Pats Talk Podcast.

The New England Patriots have moved quickly to find their next head coach, and the outcome wasn't a surprise at all.

Mike Vrabel is returning to Foxboro to be the 16th head coach in franchise history. He will replace Jerod Mayo, who was fired shortly after the team's Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. Mayo lasted only one season in the role. The Patriots have finished 4-13 each of the last two seasons.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and our Tom E. Curran (among others) reported the news on Sunday morning and the team later confirmed.

The Patriots are hoping Vrabel's coaching career in New England will be just as successful as his time as a player. Vrabel was a linebacker in Bill Belichick's defense from 2001 through 2008 and played a key role in three Super Bowl-winning teams.

Read Full Article

Contact Us