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Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson has one concern about Mike Vrabel as possible Patriots HC
Johnson said he broadly supports the idea of hiring his former teammate to be the Patriots' next head coach, calling Vrabel "the smartest player" he ever played with.
With the Patriots’ latest coaching search set to get underway following the dismissal of Jerod Mayo, one name has consistently emerged in discussion of New England’s possible options.
Mike Vrabel, the ex-Patriots linebacker (who was a part of three Super Bowl winners) and former Titans head coach is seen as one of the leading candidates. He has supporters among the New England fanbase, as well as local media. A former Patriots teammate, NBC Sports Boston pundit Ted Johnson, has no doubt Vrabel possesses the intelligence and experience to lead the team.
Asked why Vrabel “might be the best choice” to lead the Patriots during a recent episode of “The Breakdown,” Johnson paid his former teammate high praise.
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“I would say, first off, if they were to ask me who’s the smartest player you ever played with, I’d say it was Mike Vrabel and it wasn’t even close,” Johnson declared.
“Who had the most energy and came to work every single day with incredible focus and energy? That would be Mike Vrabel.”
Vrabel arrived in New England in 2001 as a free agent signing of Bill Belichick. He quickly became one of the pillars of the team’s dynasty during the 2000s, contributing as both a defensive leader and occasional surprise pass-catcher (hauling in touchdowns in two Super Bowls).
After his playing career ended, Vrabel quickly wound up in the coaching world. He worked in assistant roles with Ohio State and the Houston Texans before getting his first chance as a head coach with the Titans. In his first four seasons, Vrabel produced winning records and a 2020 AFC Championship Game appearance (a playoff run which included defeating the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in what proved to be Tom Brady’s last game with New England).
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More recently, he worked as a consultant for the Browns during the 2024 season after being fired by Tennessee following a 6-11 campaign in 2023.
And while Johnson paid tribute to Vrabel with his initial comments, he also expressed one reservation about the possibility of the ex-linebacker being named as the next Patriots head coach.
“The one thing that gives me a little bit of pause with Mike is that I’d like to know what his offensive philosophy is, because if you look at his time there in Tennessee, it really was kind of a more conservative offense, really highlighting the run game vs. the passing game,” said Johnson. “I don’t know if that was because of limitations at quarterback, but that’s how he ran his offense.
“I just wonder does he have the offensive mind to bring the Patriots into the next 10 years, considering where the offenses are going,” Johnson asked. “It’s important to me to know for Mike who his offensive coordinator is going to be and what his offensive philosophy is. I would love Mike to be the head coach here. I think he’d be a great culture-setter. I just worry about he’s thinking on offense and how he sees the modern-day offense looking.”
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NBC Sports Boston reporter Phil Perry asked Johnson if former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels would suffice as an option to potentially hire alongside Vrabel.
“I think so,” Johnson replied, adding that “we know he’s an exceptional offensive coordinator.”
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