Vrabel expected to add his version of Ernie Adams to Patriots coaching staff
Mike Vrabel has gotten down to business in the search for his new coaching staff at the helm of the New England Patriots. Vrabel’s team is expected to include a former right-hand man of his from the Tennessee Titans.
As reported last Saturday by Karen Guregian at MassLive, the “expectation” is for Rams assistant coach John Streicher to join Vrabel in New England. Streicher spent the 2024 season with the Los Angeles Rams, as a game management coordinator under Sean McVay.
More notably, Streicher served in various roles under Vrabel for the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, most recently as director of football administration. Streicher has commonly been compared to Ernie Adams, who was the Patriots’ director of football research under Bill Belichick from 2000-20.
Streicher, also known by his nickname “Stretch,” would be expected to largely help Vrabel with game management on Sundays. In-game strategy and decision-making were strengths of Vrabel’s in Tennessee, and Streicher ostensibly played a key role in their effectiveness in that department.
Vrabel is also hard at work looking at candidates for his coordinator spots. On the offensive side of the ball, the Patriots are looking at Vikings assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski as a potential candidate at offensive coordinator. On defense, they’re requesting to interview Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow to be their next defensive coordinator.
Streicher seems to be one of the first assistants that will officially join Vrabel with the Patriots, as soon as this week. The rest appear to be a bit of a longer process.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.