On January 13, 2025, Mike Vrabel was announced as the new head coach of the New England Patriots. The Patriots fired Coach Gerard Mayo on January 5, 2025, after only one season. He was fired after a win against the Buffalo Bills that led to the Patriots losing their number one pick in the 2025 draft, upsetting many fans. The Patriots team has not been living up to its former glory of the times of Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Randy Moss, and, of course, the one and only Coach Bill Belichick. Fans hope that next season Coach Vrabel will be able to improve the Patriots team, bring in a more experienced coaching staff, and end the team’s losing streak.
Mike Vrabel was born on August 14, 1975, in Akron Ohio. For college, he stayed close to home, attending Ohio State where he was a First Team All-American on the football team. He started his NFL career as a linebacker in 1997 when he was selected in the 3rd round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played for the Steelers for four seasons and then was traded to the New England Patriots where played for eight seasons and was a part of three Superbowl wins in four years. He finished his NFL career in Kansas City for two seasons. Overall, he was known as an incredible defensive player, who was hard-working and passionate about the game.
Vrabel’s coaching career started at his alma mater, Ohio State, in 2011 where he coached for two seasons before landing his first NFL coaching job with the Houston Texans as a linebacking coach and then a defensive coordinator. He then transferred to the Tennessee Titans as head coach, where he led the team to a 2019 AFC championship. He will now be in his second head coaching position with the Patriots.
Mike Vrabel seems like a good choice for the Patriots for many reasons. He’s familiar with the franchise and he was a great player for the team. The organization knows him and the way that he works. He also has shown that he’s a good coach, he has experience and has done good things with the Titans. But he definitely could be considered a “safe” hire. Some people may feel like the Patriots aren’t fully moving forward and trying new things because it seems like they are just attempting to restore the team’s former glory instead of creating new ways to succeed. However, Coach Vrabel has a different perspective: “The banners aren’t going to help us win, but they’re a great reminder of what it takes to win. The unselfishness and sacrifice it takes to win.” The team is also not completely hopeless in any regard. The Patriots have a few things going for them that could work out well for Mike Vrabel. Specifically, they have the fourth pick in the 2025 NFL draft and a great rising quarterback, Drake May. What the Patriots and Vrabel now need to do is get the team a killer coaching staff. This season, their staff did not have the experience nor the expertise to help the team. They have interviewed a few offensive coordinators for the upcoming season. These coaches play a key role on a football team by scoring and leading the team to the wins they need – especially since Coach Vrabel’s expertise is more on the defensive side of the game. The Patriots also need to get some good draft picks. They need to utilize their early picks to get the team some good rising stars. Coach Vrabel seems like he can be a person to brings discipline to the players and establishes an environment where everyone works for their place on the team.
Everyone is eager to see where the Patriots team will go next season, and, hopefully with Coach Vrabel’s help, the Patriots can start making some moves to get the team heading in the right direction.
By Emma Botelho ‘28, Contributing Writer
Sources:
- ESPN
- Patriots Hall of Fame
- CBS
