Daily news and links for Friday
TEAM TALK
- Patriots complete head coaching interview with Mike Vrabel.
- Mic’d Up: Pro Bowler Brenden Schooler vs. the Buffalo Bills. (4 min. video)
- Patriots Unfiltered: Head coaching search, establishing a culture, Wild Card Weekend picks. (2 hours)
- Gallery: Best 24 photos of the Patriots 2024 season.
LOCAL LINKS
- Conor Ryan thumbnails seven targets for the Patriots with the No. 4 pick in 2025 NFL Draft.
- Sara Marshall shares a new stat shows just how well Drake Maye overcame a terrible offensive line.
- Taylor Kyles takes a look at who the Patriots should hire as its next head coach: Mike Vrabel or Ben Johnson.
- Chris Mason tells us what to know about Patriots HC candidate Mike Vrabel.
- Michael DeVito explains why New England cannot afford to hire Ben Johnson: It’s all about experience in the NFL and he, like Mayo has none as a Head Coach.
- Ian Logue highlights James Palmer with a key point the Pats should consider comparing Johnson and Vrabel.
- Sara Marshall says Lions DC Aaron Glenn just exposed the truth about the Patriots’ HC search. The Patriots are doing themselves a disservice by giving the impression they’ve already decided who their next head coach will be.
- Ian Logue talks about how the Pats are facing criticism after Aaron Glenn declines their request for an interview.
- Jerry Thornton writes how, “when a football team fires its head coach after just one season, you can mark your calendar for three days. That’s how long it typically takes for the anonymous sources to pull the knives out of their sheaths and start back-stabbing.” The Patriots are no different.
- Matt Dolloff mentions the story that it was ownership who ordered Jahlani Tavai to be benched for his comments that incited an already angry fan base. Looks like a football decision from the owners who claim they never make football decisions.
- Sara Marshall sees the latest report as proving Patriots need way more than just a coaching overhaul.
- Lauren Campbell hears from UNC GM Mike Lombardi confirming on “The Pat McAfee Show” that there was never any conversation about Bill Belichick potentially returning to the NFL.
- A Clare Perspective podcast: Clare welcomes Andy Hart to talk Pats and all the latest hot topics. (36 min.)
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate welcomes Tyler Rowland (Locked On Titans) and Matt Dery (Locked On Lions) to break down the coaching resumes, potential of Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson. (39 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- NFL Nation (ESPN) NFL playoffs wild-card round: Picks, schedule, odds, injuries.
- Charles McDonald (Yahoo! Sports) Four Verts, Wild-Card edition: Is this finally the year for a Ravens run? Plus the Packers are one heck of a 7 seed.
- Around the NFL (NFL.com) Vikings-Rams wild-card game Monday moved to Arizona due to Los Angeles-area fires.
- Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) How to spot an NFL playoff fraud: Just look back at four examples from recent history.
- Mitch Goldich (SI) Four fun story lines heading into the NFL playoffs.
- Albert Breer (SI) NFL Mailbag: Tom Brady already impacting Raiders’ coaching search; Plus, who could be hired as defensive coordinators in San Francisco and Indianapolis, and more.
- Tom Blair, et al (NFL.com) Wild Card Weekend picks: Ravens over Steelers; Eagles will beat Packers.
- Nate Davis (USA Today) Ranking NFL’s open head coaching jobs, based on QB situation, roster, 2025 Draft and outlook. Patriots No. 1.
- Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) Looking at some bad NFL head coach openings, it’s not a great year to be a top candidate. Patriots: Of the six openings, is there a worse roster situation outside of quarterback than New England? Probably not. /Woof.
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Ben Johnson set to interview with Patriots, Raiders on Friday.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Aaron Glenn declines to interview with Patriots. “…the Leftwich and Hamilton interviews carried a secondary benefit. It reintroduced their names to the current hiring cycle, which could help put them on the radar screen for teams that will inevitably be filling out new staffs. …If, in the end, one or both parlay their interviews with the Patriots into NFL assistant coaching positions, it’s a win for them.”
- Eric Edholm (NFL.com) Raiders fire general manager Tom Telesco after just one season.
- Jordan Raanan (ESPN) Inside the NY Giants’ dysfunctional 3-14 season. /The Giants did not fire the HC or GM.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Jets, Browns, Jaguars will give up home games to play in London in 2025.