Because Jerod Mayo's status as the Patriots head coach continues to be in question, plenty of potential replacements have been part of the conversation in recent days. The most prominent of all has been former linebacker and Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who is currently serving as the coaching and personnel consultant for the Browns.
He is expected to be the leading candidate for most head coach vacancies in 2025, with rumors connecting him to the Bears and Jets already.
Vrabel was rumored to be Robert Kraft's favorite for the role when Bill Belichick was expected to be let go earlier this year, but ultimately went with Mayo instead. If he decides that he made a mistake by promoting him too soon, the belief is the Patriots owner will look to Vrabel once again and allow him to bring in an entirely new staff, which might include another familiar face.
However, if Kraft wants to explore that possibility, there might be a problem with that plan. New rumors suggest that Vrabel might already have a new job in the works that can't be announced until the 2024 NFL season is over. That would be a possible massive loss for the Patriots.
The Patriots might miss out on hiring Mike Vrabel in 2025
While discussing head coaching openings and Vrabel being perhaps the best candidate to hire during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show earlier this week, Dan Orlovsky hinted about knowing where the former linebacker is going next in his coaching career.
Although he didn't outright state what team that might be, many believe his smirk throughout the segment confirmed where Vrabel could be hired, and it's not New England.
Mike Vrabel is still out there..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 17, 2024
"I think he knows where he's likely gonna be coaching next season..
There's a vision for where he likely ends up coaching next year" ~ @danorlovsky7 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/mf1PjjXj9m
The panel mentioned Ohio State, which has been connected to Vrabel in recent weeks, and Orlovsky didn't say a word, but his reaction to the discussion has led many to believe that it could be the job lined up for Vrabel for 2025 already.
If that's the case, it would presumably throw a wrench into the possible plans of Kraft to move on from Mayo after just one season. Because he chose not to go through the expected interview process before hiring him, there's a big chance he would do that again this time around to bring in Vrabel. But that could be off the table now, forcing him to either keep Mayo for another year or look elsewhere.
None of it seems like an ideal situation for the Patriots to be in, nor something Kraft would want to deal with at this stage of his ownership. But that's what will inevitably come with whatever decision he makes regarding his head coach.