Patriots to interview Mike Vrabel for head coach vacancy on Thursday (updated)
The Patriots will interview their top choice to replace former head coach Jerod Mayo.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots will interview Mike Vrabel on Thursday. MassLive’s Mark Daniels reported on Tuesday that Vrabel was expected to meet with the team this week. This comes on the heels of him interviewing with the Jets last week. Vrabel is also going to meet with the Bears on Wednesday for their head coach vacancy. The Saints are also expressing interest in the defensive-minded coach as they look for someone to lead their franchise.
Vrabel and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson are two potential head coach candidates that the Patriots have publicly linked to. Of the two candidates, Vrabel has head coaching experience, spending six seasons on the sidelines for the Titans, finishing with a 54-45 record, which includes three straight postseason appearances.
On Monday, Kraft was asked by reporters whether or not Vrabel was his top choice and he dodged the question.
“Before I make a comment like that, I don’t know all the people involved, and there are some wonderful people that we’ve heard about,” Robert Kraft said on whether Vrabel was his top choice to hire. “So, I’d rather respond to that after I’ve seen everyone.”
Mayo was fired on Sunday following the Patriots’ 23-16 win over the Bills and finishing with a 4-13 record. Vrabel, 49, is one of the hottest coaching options on the market, and if the Patriots want him, they’ll need to be aggressive in interviewing and hiring him while also satisfying the Rooney Rule.
With Vrabel's success as a head coach in Tennessee, he will have options on what team he will lead in the future. It would be surprising if Vrabel doesn't land a head coaching job at the end of the interview cycle.
