The former Patriots linebacker is back on the market.
Even though the New England Patriots were thoroughly dismantled by the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday to fall to 3-13 on the season, the belief is that head coach Jerod Mayo will be back in 2025. If not, however, an intriguing name has just entered coaching free agency: former Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel is on the market now.
According to multiple reports out of Cleveland, Vrabel’s consulting agreement with the Browns expired on Monday. As a consequence, the 49-year-old has now become eligible to take head coaching interviews.
A three-time Super Bowl winner as a Patriots player and member of the team’s Hall of Fame, Vrabel went into coaching shortly after his retirement in 2011. He started out at his alma mater, Ohio State, and in 2014 made the jump to the NFL; former Patriots assistant Bill O’Brien hired him to his Houston Texans staff.
Vrabel worked as the Texans’ linebackers coach and defensive coordinator before leaving for the Tennessee Titans in 2018. In six years in Nashville, his Titans teams went a combined 54-45 in the regular season and 2-3 in the playoffs. He won two AFC South titles and qualified for the postseason three times.
However, Vrabel was fired in January after back-to-back losing seasons. He went unhired during the 2024 coaching cycle and later joined the Browns. Now, he is back on the market and expected to draw some interest.
Whether or not his former team will be among those making a call will be seen.