Grade revealed on Patriots’ hiring of Mike Vrabel as head coach

The success Mike Vrabel had in Tennessee can be seem as fairly extraordinary, if viewed only in comparison to what the team did before his termination, and where they are now. Trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles in exchange for the pick the Titans used on Treylon Burks (53 catches, 699 yards in 27 career games) might not even be their worst move. The decision to move on from Derrick Henry, only to see him run wild for the Ravens in 2024 can’t be viewed as positive. Former general manager Jon Robinson was dismissed before Vrabel became the scapegoat who followed him, and the Titans are among the worst teams in the NFL.

Vrabel can’t be blamed for much of that. Perhaps that’s why Sporting News’ NFL insider Vinnie Iyer ranked the Patriots’ hiring of Vrabel second of the seven head coaching hires in the NFL in 2025.

“The Patriots were hasty to promote Jerod Mayo to replace Bill Belichick at first, but they were smart to reverse course after only one season and hire another former linebacker of theirs,” Iyer wrote. “Vrabel got the Titans to overachieve with hard-nosed defense and a dynamic, run-based offense. He can have that same impact to get more out of their players on both sides of the ball, starting with second-year QB Drake Maye.

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Only the Bears ranked higher, having brought on former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to replace Matt Eberflus, who was canned during the season.

Vrabel isn’t just a former Patriots player, and someone owner Bob Kraft is familiar with. He had a lot of experience with Mayo as well. Vrabel brings a bona fide pedigree to the organization that’s largely appeared rudderless since the departures of Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

And for Vrabel, it’s a fresh start with perhaps some more say over personnel moves than he enjoyed in Tennessee. Vrabel didn’t exactly seem in favor of the deal leading into the 2023 draft when it happened.

The Patriots have a ton to work with this offseason, thus making it a great opportunity for the team as well as Vrabel.