Mike Vrabel and Patriots' Top NFL Head Coaching Candidates to Replace Bill Belichick
It's officially the end of an era in New England after NFL insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported Thursday that Bill Belichick and the Patriots have parted ways. The news came less than a week after the Patriots wrapped up a dismal 4-13 season with their first loss to the rival New York Jets in 16 tries.
It was a symbolic end to what was the worst campaign of Belichick's illustrious career, and it leaves both the organization and coach looking for a new path forward.
While Belichick hasn't had a winning season since 2021 and hasn't advanced past the wild-card round of the playoffs since winning the most recent of New England's six Super Bowls in 2018, he still projects to be one of the more coveted candidates for head coaching vacancies around the league.
The Patriots job, on the other hand, isn't exactly one that top hires may be itching to fill.
There's plenty of work to be done before New England can once again be considered a contender. The team has major holes at critical positions, most notably under center after 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones failed to develop. The team does hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 draft, however, and that selection could be used as a foundation for the next regime to build the next dynasty in Foxborough.
With that in mind, here are some of the top candidates to replace Belichick and become the 15th head coach in Patriots history.
Mike Vrabel, Former Tennessee Titans Head Coach
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Mike Vrabel was one of the more surprising Black Monday firings in recent years, but the Tennessee Titans' loss could be the Patriots' gain. It's already been rumored that Vrabel is receiving heavy consideration for the job from New England's ownership—talk he wouldn't discredit following a recent visit to Foxborough—and that may have played a role in his dismissal, according to Rapoport.
Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz reported a "mutual interest" between the two sides.
The 48-year-old would be a natural choice to head home to New England, the organization where he spent eight of his 14 professional seasons and captured three Super Bowl titles as an integral part of the linebacking corps.
While Vrabel didn't win any more rings during his six-year stint in the Music City, he did help the Titans make some significant strides rather quickly after being hired. The team took a chance on Vrabel back in 2018, after his year serving as the Houston Texans' defensive coordinator, and was rewarded with an AFC Championship Game berth in only his second season at the helm.
That ended up being the high-water mark of Vrabel's tenure, as the team lost in the wild-card round the next year and was eliminated in the divisional round despite earning the AFC's No. 1 overall seed in 2021. The Titans had seen enough after the back-to-back losing seasons that followed and elected to part ways with the 2021 Coach of the Year winner.
While on-field success has been sporadic for Vrabel in recent seasons, his message resonates with his players, and he clearly has the chops to turn around a downtrodden Pats roster.
The Ringer's Kevin Clark relayed several anecdotes from Vrabel's teammates and players who praised the manner and style in which he teaches and gets his points across. Vrabel said that his main goal when coaching is to "Help them become a better player, which in turn is going to help their family make more money."
Vrabel's place in franchise lore, as well as his unique coaching style and relative success with an undermanned Titans roster, would make him one of the better candidates for this vacancy.
Jerod Mayo, Current New England Patriots Linebackers Coach
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The Patriots may already have Belichick's successor on their payroll, as ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Jerod Mayo is possibly the "leading candidate" to take over as the team's next head coach.
Mayo has been officially listed as a linebackers coach since joining Belichick's staff in 2019, but he's taken on increased roles and has been prominently involved in the team's plans in recent seasons.
It's been rumored since early 2022 that Mayo, a two-time Pro Bowl linebacker who played for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015, had been tabbed as Belichick's heir apparent. Mayo signed a new contract that year, and Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported shortly after that he was spotted at the head coach's side helping to conduct offensive coordinator interviews while the rest of the staff was given time off.
It was telling that Mayo—who had openly stated his desire to be a head coach—declined to interview for the Carolina Panthers vacancy that same offseason.
Mayo's chances of getting the job seem strong after a report from NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran that stated that the team's ownership has been "methodical in their approach to the succession plan and parting ways with Belichick" and wouldn't be impacted by Vrabel's sudden availability.
It is worth noting, however, that a report from Boston Sports Journal's Greg A. Bedard said that "multiple team sources indicated Mayo has rubbed at least some people the wrong way in the building since his extension." This could mean that Mayo isn't quite the shoo-in for the gig he once seemed to be.
Regardless, Mayo would be a quality pick after his short stint working with the Patriots defense has resulted in some strong performances on that side of the ball. The team finished 2023 ranking a respectable No. 7 in yards conceded, and while that didn't lead to many victories, it does give the squad plenty of hope for the future if Mayo is at the helm with a strong offensive coordinator at his side.
Ben Johnson, Current Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator
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Ben Johnson may not have any ties to the New England Patriots, but he's looking like one of, if not the hottest candidate to fill any head coaching vacancy this offseason. The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator will be a popular interview after he oversaw a powerhouse offensive unit that ranked in the top five in back-to-back seasons.
Johnson's system and scheming resulted in Detroit fielding the league's No. 3 total offense and No. 5 scoring offense in 2023. The team finished with more passing yards than any but the Miami Dolphins, a testament to Johnson's work with Jared Goff, who reemerged as a Pro Bowler under his tutelage.
Goff has racked up the second-most passing yardage and third-most touchdown throws in the NFL since Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 campaign.
The development of Amon-Ra St. Brown into a bona fide star is also another feather in Johnson's cap. The wideout didn't come off the board until the fourth round of the 2021 draft but finished each of the last two seasons with over 100 catches, 1,100 yards and six touchdowns. St. Brown just wrapped up an All-Pro-caliber 2023 campaign in which he tallied a whopping 1,515 yards and 10 scores on 119 catches.
Don't forget that Sam LaPorta, Detroit's second-round pick in the 2023 draft, not only looked like one of the league's top rookie tight ends, but also one of the best overall players at the position this year. He made a blazing quick transition at a spot it's notoriously difficult to adjust to, finishing the season with 889 yards and 10 touchdowns—four more than any other tight end in 2023—on 86 catches.
Fox Sports' Henry McKenna said that Johnson may be the "opposite of [Jerod] Mayo" as he has no pro playing experience and no history with the Patriots, but noted he was able to help Goff reach new heights while overseeing an elite offense.
Johnson's lack of New England ties could even be a boon for a franchise that needs a breath of fresh air following this abysmal season and will be looking for a new identity in the post-Belichick era.
Given that the Patriots are likely to use the No. 3 overall pick on a quarterback and direly need to develop some quality wideouts and tight ends in-house, bringing in Johnson—who has a proven track record when it comes to maximizing signal-caller and pass-catching talent—could be the best move.
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Bobby Slowik, Current Houston Texans Offensive Coordinator
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Bobby Slowik just had a landmark 2023 season and put himself in the running for a head coaching job as a result. As he's only 36 years old and from the prestigious Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, the sky seems to be the limit for this up-and-comer.
He may not have any Patriot ties, but Slowik could be exactly what this flailing franchise needs to turn things around in short order.
Working as the offensive coordinator under first-time head coach DeMeco Ryans, Slowik led a unit that finished the season averaging a decent 342.4 yards and 22.2 points per game. While these aren't eye-popping figures—they rank No. 12 and 14, respectively—it's a herculean year-over-year increase, a massive improvement that Slowik deserves plenty of credit for.
He inherited an offense that finished 2022 ranked second-to-last in both yardage (283.5 YPG) and scoring (17.0 PPG). Houston couldn't even breach 200 passing yards per game last season and went on to average 245.5 yards per game through the air in 2023, rating No. 7 in the league in that category.
If he lands in New England, a club that finished with the third-worst total offense and ranked dead-last in scoring this season, Slowik could help orchestrate a similarly rapid turnaround.
The quick development of C.J. Stroud is the main reason Houston is not only fielding a potent offense, but also competing in the playoffs again. Stroud completed his rookie year having connected on nearly 64 percent of his throws for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns with only five interceptions over 15 games. Slowik could repeat this type of feat with the quarterback prospect that the Pats take at No. 3 overall.
Slowik also helped Houston get the most out of its pass-catchers. Brandin Cooks was the only Texan to surpass 550 receiving yards in 2022, while four players eclipsed that mark in 2023.
Nico Collins finally had a much-anticipated breakout season, leading the team with 1,297 yards on 80 receptions, while rookie wideout Tank Dell posted a solid stat line of 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches despite missing six games with injury.
While Slowik only has one year of offensive coordinator experience under his belt, it's readily apparent he has the talent to scheme and skills to develop players. He'd be a welcome addition to a Patriots team that needs all the help it can get on the offensive side of the ball.
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