(Photo courtesy of ESPN) “Mike Vrabel will be the Patriots’ 16th Head Coach.”
Ryan Valin
Connector Staff
The New England Patriots used to be the most feared team in the National Football League. However, all good things must come to an end, and since then, fans have seen few signs of life in the team and are waiting for their revival.
Last month, team owner Robert Kraft hired former Patriots linebacker, Mike Vrabel, to be head coach of the organization, their third head coach in three years.
Currently, most fans are celebrating this hire, as they see a lot of potential in Vrabel to lead the team to success. Even with the rejuvenation of the fanbase, this new hire is following some major complications and controversy from New England’s 2024-25 season.
When Bill Belichick left the franchise after the 2023 season, Kraft chose to give Jerod Mayo, another former Patriots linebacker, a chance at the head coach position.
Although Mayo had minor experience as a linebackers coach before being hired, the fans loved him and trusted Kraft with his decision.
But to say the least, Mayo one year at the helm led to one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. Both sides of the ball were weak and performed poorly, resulting in a 4-13 record. However, there were some bright spots sprinkled throughout.
The team picked up two rookie quarterbacks, Drake Maye and Joe Milton III, who both displayed their impressive potential over the course of the season. The team also showed the ability to play strong football, especially when they defeated the talented Cincinnati Bengals in the season opener.
So, despite the poor record, it was controversial when Kraft fired Mayo the moment the season ended, as many argued he was not given a fair chance. Some fans mentioned the fact that it takes time to rebuild a team, especially considering the various roster and coaching changes made prior to the season.
Nevertheless, Vrabel is now taking over as the head coach for New England. Unlike Mayo, Vrabel has a more impressive coaching resume, as he commands not only the locker room to a high standard. Furthermore, he also sets a culture of high effort and accountability.
From 2011 to 2013, he was a part of the defensive coaching staff for the ever-dominant college team, the Ohio State Buckeyes. After that, he took on a minor coaching role in the NFL as part of the Houston Texans, before being promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the organization in 2017.
The following season, the Tennessee Titans picked him up for his first opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL, where he spent six seasons. Throughout Vrabel’s time in Tennessee, he famously beat Tom Brady in his last game as a New England Patriot in 2019. That same year he helped bring the Titans all the way to the AFC Championship. A few years later, he would go on to win the NFL’s Coach of the Year award in 2021.
But now in New England, Vrabel knows that the fans demand excellence, and the people in the front office are expecting him to be a new fresh step forward.
During the introductory press conference, Vrabel exuded confidence and composure.
“We’re going to play with detail, we’re going to play with technique and we’re going to play with Fundamentals,” Vrabel said. “There’s going to be a brand of football that everybody [associates with us, that] our team and our fans [will] be proud of.”
The future looks bright, as Vrabel is an intelligent, experienced coach with plenty of resources and talent to work with. The anticipation is high, so be ready to see a new wave of greatness for the New England Patriots franchise.
