When Robert Kraft met with reporters on Monday to discuss his decision to fire Jerod Mayo and the forthcoming interviewing process for his successor, he shared the team's desire to go through the search quickly to get a jump start on the 2025 offseason.
There were, and still are, some concerns about that given how important it is to find the right guy for the job, even more so since it appears as though they are favoring Mike Vrabel for the role. However, their schedule to end the week seems to contradict that, as NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed they will meet with Vrabel on Thursday and current Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is scheduled to interview Friday for the Patriots head coaching job.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2025
The meeting with Johnson will have to be virtual since the Lions are on their bye week, but they will be able to meet with him again for a second interview once Detroit is eliminated from the playoffs. If they make the Super Bowl, that won't be until January 27 through February 2nd.
That could certainly play in Vrabel's favor since he is not tied to any team and will meet with them in person. But it's still a good sign for the Krafts to meet with Johnson and not immediately conclude that Vrabel is the guy beforehand.
The Patriots must do their due diligence with their head coach search to avoid disaster
Because they plan to meet with Vrabel a day before Johnson, it's possible that the Patriots could decide to hire the former Titans head coach that night. Their search could officially be over as soon as Thursday, and they could forgo meeting with Johnson altogether.
There is some concern about that happening, as the rumors have suggested that Robert wanted Vrabel to be the next head coach since last year. But Johnson is reportedly being selective with the teams he's meeting with, making it seem that he doesn't view the Patriots vacancy as a shoo-in for Vrabel.
It's crucial that's how the Krafts go about this hiring process. They can't afford to make the same mistake they did with Jerod Mayo, and they need to properly assess all their options before prematurely and ignorantly making their decision without giving all candidates a proper shake.
Both top candidates have plenty of pros and cons, and given how impactful this decision will be for the Patriots' current and future, the Krafts must ensure they are as thorough as possible while keeping Drake Maye's development in mind.