Mike Vrabel returning to New England to coach Patriots

The New England Patriots hired franchise legend Mike Vrabel as their next head coach on Sunday morning.

ESPN reported that it was a multi-year contract for Vrabel, who won three Super Bowl titles as a linebacker with New England and was named to the club's Ring of Honor in 2023.

"He's back! Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel returns to New England as our 16th head coach," the team wrote on social media.

He's back!

Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel returns to New England as our 16th head coach. pic.twitter.com/a3r7IQNzvk

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 12, 2025

Vrabel, 49, was viewed as the leading candidate to replace Jerod Mayo, who was fired on Jan. 5 after the Patriots posted a 4-13 record during Mayo's lone season as the team's head coach.

Vrabel was a coaching and personnel consultant for the Cleveland Browns in the 2024 season, but his contract expired Dec. 30, allowing him to interview with other NFL teams.

New England's 23-16 win over Buffalo in last Sunday's season finale secured the No. 4 overall selection of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots also interviewed Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans OC Pep Hamilton for the head coaching vacancy.

After a 14-year NFL career with three teams, most notably the Patriots, Vrabel began his coaching career at his alma mater, Ohio State (2011-13). He then spent four seasons as a Houston Texans assistant coach before being hired as the Tennessee Titans head coach before the 2018 season.

Vrabel was 54-45 over six seasons with the Titans. He was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2021.

Vrabel made it clear in a recent interview with The Athletic what he was looking for in his next franchise. His familiarity with owner Robert Kraft and the chance to work with young quarterback Drake Maye could have steered him toward the Patriots, even as other teams interviewed him.

"There's got to be clear communication with ownership, so that we understand as coaches what the expectations are," Vrabel said. "That's so we can explain to them what's reasonable, what we can do, what we probably can do and what we're going to try to do -- or die trying. I want to have a structure in place that people see the game the same way I do from an X's and O's standpoint, from a personnel standpoint, with team-building. We would hopefully have that alignment, which is critical.

"And I would like to be able to say that there's a quarterback that you feel like you can win with -- or that there's a path to find the one that you can win with."

--Field Level Media