1. VRABEL TO THE RESCUE - Ah, how nice to feel some positivity in the air in Pats Nation again. The hiring of Mike Vrabel as the 16th head coach of the New England Patriots has stabilized the franchise that was once the gold standard during Vrabel’s playing days, and for many years thereafter, but had seen itself fall into turmoil and disrepair recently. While nobody is predicting a return to postseason dominance immediately, there is optimism that someone as prepared and experienced as Vrabel will be able to right the ship and get the team back on track. With the stench of frustration and dysfunction now removed from the building and fanbase, everyone has been all smiles for a reason…coach included!
Vrabel’s playing days in New England (three Super Bowl wins in eight seasons) and coaching experience in Tennessee (a 54-45 record in his five-plus seasons) have lent a confidence among team media and fans that he’ll build a program that will resemble what the Patriots were, minus of course the Bradys and Gronks and such of the world. Hearing former teammates sing his praises as the right choice only reinforces region and league-wide belief that he’ll do what he’s promised and restore accountability, toughness, focus and discipline in the ranks after things got messy for coach Jerod Mayo.
We can always find a way to talk ourselves into being excited by and believing in the new coach, but once that “new coach smell” wears off, what gives us faith that the right man to do the job is in the building? Track record for one speaks volumes. And the ringing endorsements from those people who played alongside him like Vince Wilfork or worked in the league like Mike Lombardi or even his own coach in Bill Belichick have to give people comfort that the right guy took the job.
Vrabel is all about everyone doing their job, of course, though that mantra belongs to his former coach. He preaches accountability (the only word he said more than Eliot at his intro presser), even telling friend of WEEI Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston this week that if things go wrong, he wants the blame. He’s a big boy, he can handle that smoke, and unlike Mayo, without shot intended, the experience of leading and rebuilding a program won't be new to him. Things went awry, quickly, for Mayo, and unfortunately Robert Kraft had to enact drastic change quickly, painful as it may have been for him to let his handpicked successor to Bill Belichick go so soon. He gets credit for doing so, which after a quick search and hiring of Vrabel has allowed things to make sense again.
Further criticizing the previous coach and his failed efforts to do his job (which we believe was in no way entirely his fault) is of no need. It’s all about looking forward and the excitement to come. The fact that Vrabel’s been to an AFC championship as player and coach lends a calmness to the daunting task ahead. The roster didn’t just completely improve itself overnight, and there are coaches and coordinators to hire aplenty, plus a personnel department that needs aligning. All this will happen soon, as Vrabel has been taking meetings and running interviews all week. While other organizations scramble to line up interviews and continue the arduous process of selecting a new coach, the Pats were decisive, swift and succinct. That there is structure in place at the top now and isn’t lingering doubt or worry amongst the organization, its fans or the people who cover the team about the guy at the top is a massive step in the right direction.
2. STYLE POINTS - OK, so now that we’ve gotten over the excitement of Vrabel’s homecoming, exactly what kind of coach is he? Everyone is likely expecting a defensive-minded tough guy who leans on a traditional smashmouth ground n’ pound running attack. But as the coach told us this week while chatting with The Greg Hill Show crew, when he coached in Tennessee he leaned on star running back Derrick Henry because he was their best player (sound choice if you ask us). What kind of team they’ll be going forward depends, but they’ll be a smarter one for sure.
Back to the coach…just who is he aside from a big fella who loves football, loves coaching, loves competition? According to him he’s been influenced by many, and may strike some comparisons in his style, but ultimately he’s his own man, own coach.
Vrabel’s former teammate Tedy Bruschi did a great job laying out exactly what kind of coach Vrabel will be on ESPN as the news broke last Sunday that his teammate was being named the 16th head coach of the Pats.
Perhaps the best and most detailed breakdown of how Vrabel works, what players should expect of and from him, and why Pats fans should be excited came from none other than one of his best former players, retired left tackle Taylor Lewan, who upon hearing the news that his old coach was back in the game immediately took to the socials to provide this invigorating NSFW breakdown.
Sounds like exactly what we’d expect…and exactly what the Pats need.
3. STORY TIME - OK, before moving on to more pressing football-centric matters…if you haven’t gotten your fill of Vrabel-mania yet then we’re here to share some more Vrabel stories to lend insight, get you fired up or at least provide welcome levity. Like former Pats personnel director Scott Pioli sharing some stories on Julian Edelman’s podcast about how much Vrabel likes to push people.
Or how about former Patriots and Titans cornerback Logan Ryan, the man who infamously intercepted Tom Brady’s final pass as a Patriot when Vrabel’s Tennessee team beat New England in the Wild Card game in January 2020. This story lends detail to Vrabel’s respect for the game, and detail.
Vrabel made news and went viral within coaching and fan circles in that game even before ending Brady’s Pats career when he manipulated the clock to benefit the Titans in a similar capacity to how Belichick had done vs. the Jets that same season.
Yeah, the Patriots’ new coach is wicked smart like that.
Even as a serious football guy, Vrabel has a sense of humor (remember he once said he’d cut off a certain portion of his body to win a Super Bowl as a coach) and a sense of humor about himself, as evidenced by letting his players do an imitation of his coaching style.
Curious who will play Vrabel on the Pats the next time this happens. Wonder if that guy is even on the roster now? Which brings us to…
4. PERSONNEL MATTERS - Perhaps the only sticking point to date has been the general manager discussion, or rather who will have final say over personnel matters now that Eliot Wolf will be remaining with the team as the Executive VP of Player Personnel. To his credit, Vrabel has said time and again he’s had many pleasant conversations with Wolf and that he himself would not have signed on with the Patriots had he not been comfortable with the setup. While no one has come forward and explained exactly how the player evaluation, signing or drafting process will work, our betting money is still on Vrabel having final say.
Wolf will still be heavily involved in many executive and layer matters, as was intimated by Robert Kraft. To give Vrabel his own feel and comfort, it was announced this week that the Patriots will be bringing aboard now former New York Giants advisor to the GM, Ryan Cowden, whom Vrabel worked with in Tennessee.
Cowden is a respected football mind and a Vrabel guy, a smart move to give him someone he trusts and sees eye to eye with on personnel as Vrabel gets to know Wolf more. As SI’s Albert Breer points out, Coden will likely be a de facto No. 2 personnel guy to Wolf. Their relationship will be interesting to watch develop, as will this entire setup. Calling it non-traditional would be a massive understatement. However, there is some symmetry the Kraft family wants, and there are now people Vrabel has experience with. How everyone sits down at the table and gets along remains to be seen.
Most important will be their collaborative overhaul of the roster as they head into free agency with a war chest of $130 million in cap space plus the fourth overall pick in April’s draft (for anyone who wants some good free agency planning, our pal Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston has an excellent plan of attack for the Pats). The Pats have 17 free agents of their own to decide on, not to mention an offensive line to rebuild, a wide receiver room in desperate need of talent and many other pressing talent and player needs. The sooner Wolf, Cowden, Vrabel and company figure out their structure the better, because this roster is in desperate need of talent outside quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and they also need to coordinate other matters.
5. COORDINATING THE COORDINATORS - Who’s going to be calling the plays for the offense and defense this fall, you ask? Good question. While Alex Van Pelt and DeMarcus Covington have not been terminated by the team yet, neither is expected to return to their previous positions. Covington has taken an interview with the Bengals for their vacant DC spot, while Van Pelt could be asked to stay with the team perhaps as a QB coach after the quality work he did with Drake Maye in his rookie season. Still, change is afoot.
The popular thinking for OC is old friend Josh McDaniels, who’s available and still getting paid by the Raiders no less, a fact not to be overlooked as he’s familiar to the organization and affordable. We all know how well McDaniels did calling plays for Tom Brady, and how poorly he performed as a head coach, TWICE no less. However, his work with Mac Jones in 2021 and even Cam Newton in 2020 shouldn’t be overlooked, hence why WEEI’s Meghan Ottolini wrote this week about why McDaniels returning to the Patriots, pairing up with Vrabel, whom he called many TD pass plays for, would make sense.
Former Pats OC and current Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O’Brien is all in favor of McDaniels returning to Foxboro as well. With Drake Maye set to enter his second season as a starter in the NFL giving him stability is key, and McDaniels, unlike some other hot OC names, likely wouldn’t leave anytime soon for a coaching gig. Those days are likely over, but perhaps elevating Maye’s game, getting him fine tuned, dialing back the turnovers (a priority for Vrabel) and helping him grow would be a project McDaniels would embrace. Of course he’ll need a line in front of his QB and some talent to throw to as well. He’s the odds on favorite now, especially with Tommy Rees, a favorite of Vrabel from his 2024 in Cleveland, now staying with the Browns to be their OC. Our money is on Josh coming back for a third stint.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported Friday the Pats completed their first offensive coordinator interview overall for coach Mike Vrabel with Chicago Bears interim head coach and OC Thomas Brown. Brown was the team’s quarterbacks coach before Shane Waldron was fired, elevating him to offensive coordinator. He then stepped into the role of head coach after Matt Eberflus was dismissed in November.
As far as DC? There’s no clear favorite by any stretch, so whoever is brought in will likely be a new face (interviews were taking place all week according to Vrabel). One name with some ties is Patrick Graham, who worked with linebackers and the D-line in Foxboro a ways back. He also was DC for McDaniels in Vegas, so some potentially alluring symmetry there. Cincinnati’s veteran coordinator Lou Anarumo is on the market after a disappointing 2024 led to his ouster. Vrabel has familiarity with Detroit’s Terrell Williams from his days with Tennessee, but Williams could get bumped up to DC with the Lions if Aaron Glenn leaves for a head coaching job. Vrabel also had Eagles linebackers coach Bobby King for a year in Tennessee, and that guy helps generate some career years from players, so watch for him as a darkhorse candidate as well.
For special teams…here’s hoping Vrabel actually retains a coordinator, as Jeremy Springer in his first year with the team last season did a bang-up job for the Pats.
The Pats have several other position coaches to keep or replace in the coming weeks, especially after it was announced Friday evening that they would be parting ways with wide receivers coach Tyler Hughes, tight ends coach Bob Bicknell, and running backs coach Taylor Embree, among others.
Also, Mike Reiss reported Friday that Director of Skill Development Joe Kim is moving on after seven seasons.
At the executive level of the organization, there is also a major opening following the news on Friday that executive vice president of football business Robyn Glaser plans to resign in February (again, as first reported by Reiss).
6. SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT - Congrats to Patriots QB Drake Maye on the news of his engagement to longtime sweetheart Ann Michael Hudson.
Maye proposed in Grand Cayman on a postseason vacation, a time honored idea of getting away for some sun and needed R ’n R after the grind of an NFL season. Considering Maye’s successful but tumultuous rookie campaign in Foxboro (he was at times brilliant, the team not so much) a breath of fresh air and great life news is well warranted and to be cheered, not jeered, like some media members in town who harrumphed over Maye not scuttling his plans to come back for Vrabel’s introductory press conference.
Maye, whose engagement was also saluted by many of his fellow 2024 rookie QBs, will have plenty of time to get to know and work alongside Vrabel, who cited Maye as one of the many reasons he was excited to come home and coach the Pats. It was a total non-story, which BC coach Bill O’Brien said he couldn’t care less about, so long as Maye is there for Day 1 of offseason workouts and training camp, ready to rock (after buying one) and embrace the role of team leader and face of the Foxboro franchise.
7. DIVISIONAL ROUND - Finally we are in the midst of the best weekend of the football year; the Divisional Round (we can dream of returning one day soon, Pats pals). As this notes column will have been submitted before kickoff of Saturday’s first game - hey we don’t get to go to Grand Cayman like Drake Maye but we enjoy kicking back and relaxing like fans too - we will skip our Saturday predictions (just assume they were spot on) but make a couple for Sunday’s games.
Sun, 3 p.m. - Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles - The LA Rams, fresh off dominating the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round on Monday, now travel with heavy hearts from a beleaguered and burning Los Angeles to the City of Brotherly Love to take on Saquon Barkley and the Eagles. Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown and the Eagles passing attack will look to regain their inner excellence while likely leaning heavily on the NFL rushing champ, while Matthew Stafford and that dynamic Rams offense will look to pull the upset and set up an unbelievably emotional and dramatic NFC title showdown in Detroit. We want it, so we’re calling for the upset here and taking the Rams.
Sun, 6:30 p.m. - Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills - As if one of the best potential Divisional Round games of all time needed more drama, the backdrop for this Sunday night showdown should be positively spectacular.
13-5 at 14-4. Two division champs. The two best QBs in the game this year. The First Team All-Pro QB visiting the Second Team All-Pro QB. Lamar vs. Josh. WOW.
The Ravens did beat up on the Bills earlier this year, but Buffalo also gets three defensive starters back to deal with trying to stop Lamar Jackson and tackle Derrick Henry in an icebox. The Bills did beat the Ravens in the Divisional Round four years ago back in snowy conditions, 17-3. But this one feels way more intense. Both teams want to go to Kansas City and seek organizational payback by dethroning Patrick Mahomes to get to New Orleans for a Lombardi shot. The Ravens are the favorite, but Buffalo’s wild crowd, familiarity with these elements, and Josh Allen’s Superman heroics are just enough for the Bills Mafia to be shouting all night long in a thriller for the ages. Give us the Bills.