There's no doubt the Patriots feel like they've hit a coaching home run in hiring Mike Vrabel.
On Sunday morning, ESPN first reported the announcement that the Patriots were hiring Vrabel. The noise throughout New England this week was the former Pats' linebacker was going to come home to replace the disposed Jerod Mayo.
But we have to wonder, will the Patriots regret passing on Lions' offensive coordinator Ben Johnson?
Head coaching searches in the NFL are not ones to be taken lightly. And no less than a week after their season ended, the Patriots have their man, a guy in Vrabel who won three Super Bowls here and took the Titans to the AFC Championship Game in 2020. Poetically, Vrabel's Titans ended the Tom Brady era in New England with their Wild Card victory over the Patriots that January.
Vrabel could very well be the man to restore the Patriots to greatness. In spite of a 4-13 2024 season, the New England job was an attractive one thanks to having a franchise quarterback in place, salary cap flexibility and a high draft pick.
The Patriots chose culture over offensive progression by passing on Ben Johnson
The Patriots did their due diligence in interviewing Johnson—albeit virtually—and satisfied the Rooney Rule in interviewing Byron Leftwich and Pep Johnson, but did they rush this process?
Johnson, 38, is a brilliant young football mind with as much to do with Detroit's success as Dan Campbell. His schemes have helped revitalize Jared Goff's career, and you have to wonder what he could've done with a young, talented quarterback such as Maye. If the Lions win the Super Bowl, Johnson will never have to buy a meal in Detroit again.
It's not impossible to think the Patriots wanted to scoop Vrabel up before another franchise like the Raiders or the Saints could make an offer, especially since Johnson can't accept a head-coaching role until Detroit's season is over. Assuming the Lions make it to the Super Bowl, maybe the Krafts didn't want to wait until mid-February to get the next head coach into Gillette Stadium.
That's understandable, but you have to wonder if the Patriots' ownership rushed this process. Maybe Vrabel's experience as a head coach and his immersion in the Patriots' culture won the Krafts over. Vrabel is also a no-nonsense guy who has a Coach of the Year trophy (2021) on his mantel. Maybe that was a factor as well.
But if the Patriots ultimately don't become contenders again under Vrabel, swinging and missing on Johnson could ultimately go down as another missed opportunity.