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.
[RELATED: Patriots To Retain Eliot Wolf, Front Office Staff]
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.