NFL Rumors: Cowboys Eyed Mike Vrabel Before Patriots Finalized HC Contract

The Dallas Cowboys were reportedly among the teams interested in Mike Vrabel before he became head coach of the New England Patriots.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Patriots owner Robert Kraft was also aware of Dallas' interest in Vrabel.

"The Dallas Cowboys, too," Russini said on her Scoop City podcast (12:00 mark). "A lot of people don't know that. Guess who knew that? Robert Kraft knew that. Robert Kraft knew the Jones family had an interest [in Mike Vrabel]."

The Patriots hired Vrabel on Jan. 12 after firing former head coach Jerod Mayo at the end of the 2024 season.

As for the Cowboys, they're still searching for a head coach after parting ways with Mike McCarthy on Jan. 13.

Vrabel's successful track record as a head coach at the NFL level made him one of the top options during the latest hiring cycle, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting on Dec. 11 that the 49-year-old was viewed as a "prime" coaching candidate. Fowler also listed the Cowboys as a potential landing spot for him at the time.

Vrabel served as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, finishing with a 54-45 record. The Titans made the playoffs three separate times during his tenure, including an AFC Championship Game appearance during the 2019 season.

Dallas has interviewed several candidates for its vacancy including offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).

Schottenheimer appears to be a strong candidate for the opening, as the Cowboys have already conducted two interviews with him.

Dallas reportedly eyed Vrabel after moving on from McCarthy, but the team didn't entice him enough to pass up on the Patriots' head coaching role.