Despite the uncertainty New England Patriots fans felt during the 2024 season, there’s one thing they're sure about: who should replace Jerod Mayo.
Mike Vrabel has developed into a sizeable betting favorite to become the next Patriots head coach after Jerod Mayo's firing
Bill Belichick succession plan blew up in one year. Now bringing back another franchise icon is the only move that makes sense.
The Jets’ Mike Vrabel dreams may be in serious peril thanks to one of their fiercest rivals. The Patriots’ decision to fire Jerod Mayo shortly after their season-ending win over the Bills on Sunday has thrown a serious wrench into the idea that the Jets could be a player for Vrabel’s services.
Mike Masala previously served as the Managing Editor of USA TODAY's Dolphins Wire as well as a contributing writer at Patriots Wire. A lifelong New England resident, he is the self-proclaimed captain and lone member of the Laurence Maroney Fan Club. Follow on Twitter/X: @Mike_Masala
Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski suggested New England is interested in Mike Vrabel after firing Jerod Mayo.
The Patriots already have what is supposed to be their franchise quarterback in Drake Maye, as well as the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Mayo was fired for not immediately turning the team around after Belichick's leaner final years, and his replacement could face a similar mandate. Here are some guys we think could be up for it:
Former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski once shared a locker room with Jerod Mayo. He recently told Ryan Morik of Fox News Digital he thought that Patriots owner Robert Kraft firing Mayo after just a single season was "kind of an ugly situation" because "it wasn't enough time to evaluate" Mayo as a head coach.
Since the firing was announced, reports have emerged over how the coach struggled across the course of the most recent season, leading up to his departure.
For a franchise that made eight straight trips to the AFC Championship game from 2011-18, this run of instability has been tough for fans and former Patriots alike.
As a star player from Ohio State to a head coaching role at the Titans, could Mike Vrabel be what the Patriots need at head coach?