Patriots hire Vrabel as next head coach

The New England Patriots signed Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach, the team announced Sunday.

The Patriots inked Vrabel to a multi-year pact, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

The 49-year-old worked as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns this past season and was the Tennessee Titans' head coach from 2018-23. He also won three Super Bowls while playing linebacker for the Patriots.

The Titans went 54-45 during Vrabel's tenure and made it to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. They also secured the top seed in the conference in 2021 but lost in the divisional round to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tennessee fired Vrabel after going 6-18 in his final 24 games. The Titans' offense faltered toward the end of his tenure, averaging 17.7 points per game over his final two seasons with the club.

The Patriots dismissed head coach Jerod Mayo on Jan. 5 after going 4-13 in his first campaign. Mayo replaced Bill Belichick following his 24-year tenure as the team's head coach and general manager.

New England reportedly interviewed Ben Johnson, Pep Hamilton, and Byron Leftwich for its coaching vacancy. The Pats skipped the hiring process and didn't conduct interviews last year, naming Mayo their head coach due to an established succession plan in Mayo's contract.

Vrabel will be tasked with developing quarterback Drake Maye, who the team drafted third overall in 2024. Maye went 3-9 in 12 starts as a rookie, racking up 2,697 total yards with 17 touchdowns. The Patriots' offense ranked 27th in EPA/play last season, per SumerSports.

New England holds the fourth overall pick in the 2025 draft and is projected to have the most salary cap space heading into free agency with $120.5 million, according to Over The Cap.