Patriots head coaching search underway: 5 candidates to replace Jerod Mayo
Jerod Mayo is one and done in New England as head coach, and now the team must pivot and find a new leader on the sidelines.
New England is now on to their second head coach in two years following Bill Belichick moving on, and the franchise is expected to have a thorough interview process for their next head coach.
With Drake Maye as the potential franchise quarterback, Christian Gonzalez on defense, and equipped with the No. 4 overall pick and cash to burn in free agency, the next head coach has some positives to work with moving forward.
Here are some viable candidates that could be a fit for the Patriots:
Mike Vrabel, former Titans head coach
The consensus seems to lean in the direction of Vrabel landing the job. He is already a fan favorite, and with his playing background in New England, Vrabel understands the culture in New England and could be the right voice in a locker room in dire need of leadership.
Vrabel spent this last season working as a consultant for the Browns after he was fired by the Titans at the end of last season. While in Nashville, he won a pair of division titles and took the Titans to an AFC Championship in six seasons.
One of the top candidates on the market, Vrabel has reportedly already met with division-rival Jets and is expected to land other interviews in the coming weeks. From a defensive perspective, Vrabel would be a great fit, and with the right offensive coordinator to work with Maye, he could be the best choice.
According to Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Girardi, he’s spoken to people around the league, and they think Vrabel ends up in Foxboro. “I have talked to a half-dozen league execs today, and all believe Mike Vrabel will be the Patriots next head coach. Not surprising,” he posted on X Monday morning.
Ben Johnson, Lions offensive coordinator
New England formally requested an interview with the Lions offensive coordinator on Monday, according to SI.com’s Albert Greer.
Johnson is another top head coaching candidate this offseason, but it’s not clear whether he wants to leave the Lions. The team could sell Johnson on Maye, the draft pick, and salary cap space to lure Johnson to Foxboro.
This year, the Lions have the best offense in the NFL. Detroit finished the 2024 NFL season with the top-ranked scoring offense, averaging 33.2 points per game. Meanwhile, New England hasn’t scored 30 points in a game the last two seasons.
Due to Johnson being employed by an NFL team, the Patriots must first request interest, and virtual interviews can be conducted this week. In-person interviews for non-playoff coaches can start on Jan. 20. Coaches on playoff teams can’t interview in Foxboro until their season is over. New England must satisfy the Rooney Rule as they’re conducting their new search for a head coach.
Liam Coen, Buccaneers offensive coordinator
Coen grew up in Rhode Island and went to UMass while beginning his coaching career at various New England schools. He comes from the McVay coaching tree, and he's coming off a successful first season as the Buccaneers offensive coordinator.
The Buccaneers ranked fourth in points scored and third in yards gained entering Sunday afternoon, after ranking 20th and 23rd in the previous season without Coen. Outside of being an offensive coordinator, he’s held other roles like assistant wide receivers coach and assistant quarterbacks coach under McVay.
Kliff Kingsbury, Commanders offensive coordinator
Kingsbury is another option to interview for the vacancy in New England, but there’ll be competition. The former Cardinals head coach is reportedly interested in the Bears opening, while the Jets are interested in his services.
While with the Commanders, Kingsbury helped transform Jayden Daniels into their franchise quarterback in his rookie season and could elevate Maye to the next level in New England.
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame head coach
Freeman put together a strong season leading Notre Dame into the College Football Playoff and will do battle with Penn State this week.
There has been speculation that Freeman might want to make the jump to the NFL following this season, but he dismissed that notion.
“I don’t know when they announced it; I can’t remember, but about a week or two ago, they announced another long contract here at Notre Dame. So I don’t think we have anything to worry about,” Freeman told ESPN’s SportsCenter. His new deal will pay him more than $9 million per year for Freeman.
He’s never coached at the NFL level, but if he had a change of heart and was interested in making the jump, the Patriots should make a phone call and gauge his interest.
