Talk about moving abruptly (Bob Kraft).
The New England Patriots – about an hour after beating the Buffalo Bills – moved on from coach Jerod Mayo after one season.
Kraft said he put Mayo in an “untenable position” and took blame for the abysmal season. Now, just a few days into the offseason, the Patriots are officially undergoing interviews for the vacant spot.
So far, there are two candidates atop the ol’ wishlist: Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson.
A former Patriot and Super Bowl winner, Vrabel has head coaching experience from when he helmed the Tennessee Titans (2018-2023). Across that span, he led the Titans to three playoff berths, including a run to the AFC championship game in 2020.
One win included Brady’s last-ever game as a Patriot. Ugh.
What are the pros of bringing in Vrabel?
Well, for starters, he has experience. The Patriots just lived through a first-year coach. Not just a first-year coach, but a first-year defensive coordinator, first-year playcaller on offense, and first-year special teams coordinator.
No wonder the 4-13 record…
With Vrabel, you’re getting not only a true football guy, but a coach who knows what it takes to be successful in the league. I believe with Vrabel, you will have a high floor, but potentially a low ceiling. He’s not one of these new/younger/innovative coaches like Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, or even one of those up-and-coming offensive-minded coaches like Johnson.
Vrabel is the ultimate culture coach. You’re not going to have to worry if players are rioting or if leaks are coming out of the dressing room. Those were things Mayo failed at.
Now, who is Ben Johnson?
Johnson is the current offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions – one of the brightest offensive minds out there in coaching. The past few seasons, Johnson has been rumored to be in line for a head coaching job, but every offseason – most notably last spring – he decided to stay in Detroit.
Listen, some Patriots fans may want Vrabel because they just saw what a first-year head coach can turn into. My rebuttal to that, however, is Johnson has far more coaching experience than Mayo.
Remember, Mayo wasn’t even a coordinator before he got the head coaching gig.
Not only does Johnson run a fascinating offense, but Drake Maye has proven he has the tools to be a franchise quarterback. Pairing Johnson and Maye could be, well, box office.
I don’t have a preference. I can see the positives and negatives of each candidate. Let’s just not rush into a decision… again.
Now, it’s time to prepare for my favorite part of the season: the NFL draft.
Talk then.
