Jason Burgos
An interesting New England Patriots rumor suggests if Mike Vrabel is hired, he likely would hire a legendary coordinator from the team’s past to develop young quarterback Drake Maye.
The suffering of Patriots fans finally came to a close on Sunday when their miserable 4-13 season came to a merciful conclusion. While New England was not expected to be a world-beater in 2024, posting the same result for a second season was not what the team was expecting under new head coach Jerod Mayo.
Related: Top NFL analyst highlights ‘most glaring need’ New England Patriots must fix this offseason
It is why the organization made the surprising decision to fire the Bill Belichick disciple following their Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. Now, for the second straight year, the Patriots front office has the unenviable task of trying to find a person who can get them back to the dynastic levels Bill Belichick had the franchise at for the last two decades.
Although several veteran coaches have been linked to the organization, many feel that team great Mike Vrabel is the odds-on favorite to land the job. The former New England Patriots star reportedly covets the position. And he produced strong results during his six seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
If the rumors do become reality, a new report claims that one of the first hires the 49-year-old could make is to bring back one of the best offensive coordinators in team history.
- New England Patriots record: 4-13
Could Mike Vrabel bring Josh McDaniels back to the New England Patriots?
“One note on Vrabel. There is buzz in some coaching circles that Josh McDaniels could be a prime candidate to be Vrabel’s offensive coordinator,” ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed on Thursday. “That would be quite the nostalgia tandem. And though McDaniels is a two-time failed head coach, no one disputes his coordinator chops. It would be good for Maye.”
- Drake Maye stats (2024): 66.6 completion %, 2,276 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 88.1 passer rating
McDaniels is one of the best coordinators the Patriots have ever had. Over 13 years and two stints, he helped take the New England offense to historic heights with QB Tom Brady. It is why he earned head coaching opportunities with the Denver Broncos and Las Vegas Raiders. While he was miserable as a head coach, he would be a fantastic choice to mentor young signal-caller Drake Maye.
