What Jets have been reportedly prepared to supply Mike Vrabel

Patriots

Vrabel interviewed with the Jets, however there was one other staff additionally looming to pursue him.

By Conor Roche

January 26, 2025 | 2:38 PM

3 minutes to learn

The Patriots’ determination to behave rapidly of their head teaching search might need prevented Mike Vrabel from going to a division rival or the Cowboys.

Following Vrabel’s interview with the Jets, New York was prepared to provide New England’s new head coach full roster management whereas Dallas additionally had curiosity in Vrabel earlier than parting methods with Mike McCarthy, in accordance with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.

“Mike Vrabel got here in – blew the doorways off. Simply blew (Jets proprietor) Woody [Johnson] away,” Russini stated on her podcast, “Scoop Metropolis.” “Liked him. They have been prepared to rent him. They have been going to do something they wanted to do, together with giving him full roster management and basically the ability to simply report back to the proprietor. Every thing you could possibly probably ask for. 

“God solely is aware of what they’d’ve given him when it comes to the monetary a part of it, I’m positive no matter Vrabel needed. 

The emotions between Vrabel and the Jets have been apparently mutual as nicely. 

“From what I perceive, Vrabel was ,” Russini added. “He preferred Woody, he preferred what he was listening to, he preferred what they have been about.”

Vrabel, who labored for the Browns as a advisor for the 2024 season, was let loose of his contract early so he might interview with groups that had fired their head coaches earlier than the common season ended. On the Friday forward of the regular-season finale, the Jets interviewed Vrabel.

Two days later, the Patriots fired head coach Jerod Mayo, making the transfer simply over an hour after their closing recreation of the season. They interviewed Vrabel simply 4 days later and formally employed him only one week after firing Mayo, making the Patriots the primary staff to fill their head coach emptiness this offseason by over per week. New England solely interviewed three different candidates (Byron Leftwich, Pep Hamilton, Ben Johnson) for its head coach emptiness. 

The Patriots didn’t make Vrabel their normal supervisor after they employed him, however he might need related duties to what the Jets have been prepared to supply him. New England retained govt vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf and Vrabel has said on many events that the 2 plan to work collectively to construct the roster.

Nonetheless, Vrabel would be the Patriots’ closing determination maker, NBC Sports activities Boston’s Tom E. Curran beforehand reported. The Patriots additionally employed Giants govt Ryan Cowden to reportedly function the “de facto No. 2” voice within the entrance workplace. Vrabel had beforehand vouched for Cowden to develop into the Titans’ normal supervisor when he was in Tennessee. 

A day after the Patriots introduced that they employed Vrabel to be their subsequent head coach, the Cowboys introduced that they weren’t capable of come to phrases on a brand new take care of head coach Mike McCarthy. Because it was unknown for over per week if Dallas would transfer on from McCarthy, Robert Kraft had a way that the Cowboys needed Vrabel. 

“The Dallas Cowboys, too,” Russini added on which different groups needed Vrabel. “Lots of people don’t know that. Guess who knew that? Robert Kraft knew that. Robert Kraft knew the Jones household had an curiosity [in Mike Vrabel].”

Whereas Vrabel has by no means been part of the Cowboys’ group, he really has a previous working relationship with govt vice chairman, CEO, and director of participant personnel Stephen Jones, the son of Jerry. Moreover, the Cowboys initially sought to rent a defensive-minded head coach so they might preserve Brian Schottenheimer because the offensive coordinator, NFL on FOX insider Jay Glazer reported Sunday.