Robert Kraft, Patriots reportedly considered Mike Vrabel for head coaching position before hiring Jerod Mayo
Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a Patriots linebacker, was fired by the Tennessee Titans earlier this week.
Before ultimately hiring Jerod Mayo as former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s successor on Friday, the team’s owner reportedly considered another past New England defender.
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Robert Kraft reportedly considered hiring ex-Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
“This really was always Jerod Mayo’s job. Not to say they didn’t consider Mike Vrabel,” Rapoport said Friday. “My understanding is he was given some consideration by Robert Kraft. But really since before last season … Jerod Mayo was the person identified as the next head coach.”
Rapoport doubled down on his report later in the day.
“My understanding is they did, in fact, consider Mike Vrabel for a little bit,” Rapoport said. “But this was always Jerod Mayo’s job. It just was made official earlier today.”
It was, indeed, always Mayo’s job because of a clause in his contract, per Rapoport. Mayo and the Patriots put together a successor plan for the 37-year-old to eventually take over for Belichick, and that was included in his most recent extension with the team. The Patriots also let the NFL know of the plan, which allowed them to hire Mayo without conducting a formal interview process.
However, according to Rapoport, Vrabel was in the back of Kraft’s mind after mutually parting ways with Belichick on Thursday.
Vrabel was fired by the Titans after six years as the team’s head coach. He was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading Tennessee to a 12-5 record.
The Titans’ owner, Amy Adams Strunk, reportedly began considering letting Vrabel go after his visit to Foxborough in Oct. 2023 when he was inducted into the Patriots’ Hall of Fame, according to Rapoport.
Adams Strunk was also reportedly unhappy when Vrabel didn’t deny rumors about him potentially becoming the next Patriots head coach as New England was two months into their dismal 2023-24 season.
The 48-year-old spent eight seasons as a Patriots linebacker and won three Super Bowls with the team.
Similar to Vrabel, New England’s latest head coach Mayo also spent eight seasons as a linebacker with the Patriots. Those eight seasons in New England comprised Mayo’s entire playing career.
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