There were a lot of eyes on the Patriots' final game of the 2024 season, with the future of Jerod Mayo as the team's head coach on the line on top of their fate determining where they would land in the first round of this year's draft. They came in with the first overall pick, a position they hadn't held since they chose Drew Bledsoe in 1993, and left the game slipping down to the fourth selection.
Although it was good to see what the team had in rookie quarterback Joe Milton and to add another win to a disappointing season, it felt too little, too late. It didn't change much about their now 4-13 record and forced Robert Kraft to make an immediate decision about Mayo's status.
Not long after the game, the Patriots announced they had fired Mayo and would immediately begin looking for their next head coach.
There are assumptions about who that might be, but there are a few candidates to consider that could be strong additions to the new coaching staff, especially with Drake Maye's future in mind.
4 potential candidates to replace Jerod Mayo as Patriots head coach in 2025
Mike Vrabel
Of course, the most obvious choice is Mike Vrabel, who was also on Kraft's shortlist prior to promoting Mayo last year. The ex-Patriots linebacker and former Titans head coach has reportedly been interested in taking the job if it became available. Now that it is, it's expected he will be in for an interview shortly.
Given his experience in the position already, that gives him a leg up over some of the other candidates who will inevitably speak to ownership. His connection to the organization from his playing days will also help, which Kraft seems to like when hiring coaches.
Regardless, Vrabel is a proven talent as a head coach, even if his record doesn't necessarily paint the best picture to relay that (he went 54-45 in Tennessee). However, his attitude and overall knowledge of the entirety of a team are things from which the Patriots could benefit.
Ben Johnson
If Kraft wants to go completely out on a limb and try something new with his next head coach, there might not be anyone better than Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. He has been on the top of many teams' lists over the past few years due to how impressive Detroit's offense has played, especially as they just locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs this year.
Seeing him help develop Jared Goff into a quality quarterback could play a role in Kraft eyeing Johnson for the job. Drake Maye's progression will be treated with the utmost importance, and hiring an offensive-minded head coach could be the best move to ensure he's in the best hands.
It would be a dramatic change since Belichick and Mayo were both defensive-led coaches, but it might be time to follow the NFL's trend by hiring the opposite as their next coach.
Johnson would be a risky move, given that he hasn't been a head coach before, and more often than not, a talented coordinator doesn't thrive in the promoted position. However, it's not a fluke that so many teams are scrambling to get an interview with him as soon as possible, and the Patriots should add him to the shortlist.
Brian Flores
Just like a Vrabel hire, Brian Flores's return would not be surprising for the Patriots to do with their head coach search. The 43-year-old began his coaching career in Foxboro in 2008, spending four years prior as an executive, and remained with the team until 2019. That's when he took over as the Dolphins head coach.
His tenure in Miami was chaotic, and some of it is still ongoing, but since he was let go in 2022, he has spent time with the Steelers in various roles and has been serving as the Vikings' defensive coordinator since 2023.
Because Minnesota's defense has become quite the force under his coaching, Flores' name has been in the head coaching conversation again as the offseason nears. His connection to the Patriots easily puts him on the Krafts' radar, and it seems inevitable that he will have an interview whenever the Lions season is officially over.
Liam Coen
One of the more unknown candidates the Patriots could consider, especially if looking for someone with offensive experience, Liam Coen has become a name to watch for. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the Buccaneers, who locked up the NFC South title on Sunday, and has served in that role for a few teams over the past four years.
Before the move to Tampa, Coen worked with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams for five years, which might be one of his more exciting attributes.
The Rams' head coach has become the blueprint for many teams around the league hoping to turn around their franchises with a young, offensive-minded coach. So, the fact that Coen worked with him firsthand means he will bring that invaluable knowledge and experience to Foxboro.
On top of it all, Coen is originally from Rhodes Island and attended the University of Massachusetts, giving him roots in New England already. It might not mean much regarding his coaching, but it could mean he would be interested in returning home if offered the job.