Former Steelers LB Named Patriots HC
Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots have reached a multi-year agreement to make him New England’s next head coach.
Vrabel now is the seventh individual to become the head coach for a franchise he once helped win a Super Bowl as a player, joining Jerod Mayo, Bart Starr, Forrest Gregg, Art Shell, Jeff Saturday and Jason Garrett.
Vrabel is a former Patriots All-Pro and member of the team’s Hall of Fame. Vrabel also interviewed for the New York Jets vacant head coach position, but New England always seemed like the designation, especially with Jerrod Mayo being let go after only one season.
An Akron, Ohio native, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Vrabel in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played 51 games for the team, recording 56 tackles, four tackles for loss and seven sacks. Vrabel signed with the Patriots in 2001 after spending his first four seasons with the Steelers and won three Super Bowls in New England.
Vrabel was unexpectedly fired as the head coach of the Titans after the 2023 season, and was left out of the NFL coaching carousel this offseason. Vrabel spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns in an advisory role on their coaching staff. Vrabel’s role with Cleveland was much in the same way that the Steelers used former NFL head coach Brian Flores two seasons ago.
Rex Ryan, who’s in the running for the Jets head coach position, said on NFL Countdown, “Hopefully I can kick this guy’s ass twice a year.” Ryan, of course was just joking, but he really wants the Jets position.
The Patriots are the first team to fill their head coach vacancy in this year’s head coach carousel. The Jets, New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars are still searching for their next head coach.
The Steelers play the Patriots at Gillette Stadium in 2025. The Steelers also face the Bears and Jets next season.
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