The process to hire Mike Vrabel might have been a short one for Robert Kraft and the New England Patriots, but the new head coach is taking his time in deciding who he feels are the best fits for his staff for the 2025 season.
Although only a few names have been revealed, it is so far, so good with who Vrabel is bringing to the Patriots sidelines and experience appears to be the biggest factor in determining the best hires. Inexperience was the weakest part of Jerod Mayo's tenure during the 2024 season and it's clear the Patriots want to avoid that as much as possible moving forward.
This was made apparent with the team hiring Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator again. With the other names that have been announced to join the staff, experience will no longer be an issue.
Updated list of staff Mike Vrabel has hired for the Patriots 2025 season
Offensive coordinator: Josh McDaniels
In the most expected move besides the hiring of Mike Vrabel this offseason, the Patriots are bringing back longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for the same role in 2025. He was last with the team for the 2021 season and left to become the Las Vegas Raiders head coach in 2022. That only lasted until midway through 2023 when he was abruptly fired.
Since then, he hasn't been seen much around the NFL, reportedly spending a lot of time around college campuses to revitalize his playbook and bring it up to date with the current trends in football, which is a significant move given the kind of talent he will be working with in Drake Maye.
McDaniels' return to New England's sidelinebrings a lot of stability back to the offense that has been lacking since his departure. The biggest beneficiary of it all will be Maye, as he was reportedly said to be the focus of Vrabel's search for the right playcaller.
Defensive coordinator: Terrell Williams
Patriots insider Mike Reiss reported Wednesday that Lions defensive line coach Terrell Williams is reuniting with Vrabel as the Patriots' defensive coordinator. He held that role and was an assistant head coach with the Titans during Vrabel's tenure, so it's not surprising to see the pair link back up on a new team.
His experience as a coach, which he began to pursue over two decades ago, is a major upgrade from what the Patriots had with DeMarcus Covington during the 2024 season. Although he was and still is highly regarded, Covington's promotion felt premature, much like Mayo, and the defense struggled because of it.
Williams didn't have the best season in his one year with the Lions, as they ranked 18th in rushing touchdowns (18) and 22nd in yards per carry (4.5) surrendered during the 2024 regular season. However, there were a lot of injuries to their defensive line that ultimately led to their demise in the playoffs, so it's difficult to judge his most recent work.
Read More: Patriots won't miss at least one coach who won't be back for the 2025 season
Special teams coordinator: Jeremy Springer
Although he joined the Patriots as part of Mayo's staff last year, Vrabel has decided to retain special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer for the 2025 season.
He was one of the few coaches that most fans were hoping would stay with the team. Springer put together the best group of the team last season and brought the historically impressive special teams roster back to being a dominant third squad.
Running backs coach: Tony Dews
Perhaps one of the most versatile and experienced coaches the Patriots could have hired this cycle is incoming running backs coach Tony Dews. He too worked with Vrabel during his six-year tenure with the Titans and will be back in a similar role with New England.
Dews last served as the running backs coach for the New York Jets during the 2024 season, which saw quite a jump from the year before. Both Breece Hall and Braelon Allen were intricate parts of the Jets offense, especially with Aaron Rodgers' declining performance.
Bringing that kind of coaching to the Patriots running back room, with Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, will be a huge help for Maye moving forward. Hopefully, Dews can brin that group up to where it should have been in 2024.