Mike Vrabel Reportedly Interested In Coaching Patriots If Bill Belichick Leaves

Rumors have swirled for weeks about Mike Vrabel potentially replacing Bill Belichick as the Patriots’ head coach.

Vrabel would be on board with that plan, according to a report Monday from Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

“As the Titans weigh HC Mike Vrabel’s future this week, he’s interested in the idea of returning to the Patriots, should New England part ways with Bill Belichick,” Schultz wrote on the X platform.

Such a move would require some complex maneuvering, as Belichick and Vrabel both remain under contract with their respective teams.

Belichick mentioned his contract status — an out-of-character comment for New England’s head coach — Monday morning during his end-of-season video conference. He later indicated he would be open to relinquishing personnel control to stay with the Patriots, seemingly placing the onus on team owner Robert Kraft to decide whether to retain Belichick or fire him.

If Kraft chooses the latter, Vrabel would be a natural fit given his strong ties to and affinity for the Patriots organization. The former New England linebacker was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in October and watched the next day’s game from Kraft’s luxury box at Gillette Stadium, telling fans at halftime “not to take this organization for granted.”

“I’ve been a lot of places,” the three-time Super Bowl winner said. “This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.”

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Prying Vrabel from Tennessee likely would require a trade, however. His contract reportedly runs through the 2025 season with a team option for 2026. The Titans are coming off back-to-back sub-.500 seasons under Vrabel, the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2021, and have not won a playoff game since 2019, when they made a surprise run to the AFC Championship Game.

Current Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo also is viewed as a leading candidate to replace Belichick if the latter exits this offseason, though some reports have questioned the 37-year-old’s readiness for a head coaching position.

The Patriots closed out a 4-13 season Sunday with a home loss to the New York Jets.