Patriots Lead Slammed Interview Schedule For Prime Coaching Candidate

The New England Patriots have momentum in their head coaching search after landing interviews with top candidates in Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson.

Johnson still has plenty of work to do with his current team as the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. The NFC’s No. 1 seed rightfully earned a first-round bye and prepares for a deep run in the postseason. That bye week proves advantageous to Johnson, giving him a short window to meet with teams to discuss head coaching vacancies.

Johnson will make the most of that time and jammed as many opportunities into a short window. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday that Johnson will virtually meet with four teams across Friday and Saturday before shifting his focus back to playoff preparations with Detroit.

The Patriots are the first team he’ll meet with Friday followed by the Las Vegas Raiders. Saturday will consist of another pair of interviews with the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Johnson is the best offensive mind on the market and has an argument as the top overall candidate, though Vrabel beats him out with prior experience. The Patriots are wise to interview both with major implications for the franchise in the decision.