Of the seven new head coaches across the NFL this season, only two of them have held such a job in the league, and Mike Vrabel is one of them. It's easy to see why the Patriots wanted him, and one could argue that New England should've called Vrabel two offseasons ago after the Titans cut him loose.
But, it's better late than never, and Vrabel is set to embark on his first season as the Patriots' head coach after winning three Super Bowls in New England as a player. He has brought discipline and structure back to the organization, and experts around the league believe Vrabel is going to bring winning back to New England.
When ranking the seven new head coaches, Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski had Vrabel ranked fourth, which isn't bad, but you could argue that he should be higher. Only Ben Johnson, Pete Carroll, and Brian Schottenheimer ranked ahead of Vrabel, with Carroll being the lone guy on that list who has been a head coach in the NFL. Sobleski also predicted the Patriots would go 8-9, which seems a little low given their schedule.
That's just more offseason disrespect directed at the Patriots, but they will undoubtedly earn it with their play on the field.
Mike Vrabel's experience should be a big factor, even in first year with Patriots
When addressing the Patriots, Sobleski noted that the Patriots will "benefit greatly from Vrabel's regimented approach after being in disarray this past season and faltering dramatically from a talent perspective."
The Patriots' locker room was too much like a country club under Jerod Mayo, and the results were as expected on the field, despite rookie quarterback Drake Maye showing flashes of superstardom. Now that the Patriots have a restructured roster and coaching staff, things should be better in 2025.
The roster Eliot Wolf constructed fits Vrabel's mold perfectly, particularly a rebuilt defense that New England has spent a lot of money on. It's hard to imagine the Patriots winning only eight games with the not-so-challenging schedule they have, so when it's all said and done, could Vrabel rank first or second on this list?
My money says yes, given the Bears, Cowboys, and Raiders all have their flaws, and that the Patriots will be a playoff contender. Vrabel's experience will ultimately win out ahead of the others.