New England Patriots head coach candidates Jerod Mayo (left) and Mike Vrabel (right), via USA Today
The Bill Belichick era in New England is over. As the dust settles from the monumental decision involving the Patriots’ head coach of the last two-plus decades there’s one obvious leading question – who’s next?
Replacing Bill Belichick will be no easy task, on either side. Despite recent struggled Belichick was still very popular among many Patriots fans.
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Who will take on that role? It’s likely not going to be just one person. Given none of the main coaching candidates in this cycle have player personnel experience, it seems unlikely a new hire will get the same coach/GM setup Belichick had. It wouldn’t be surprising for there to be two hires – head coach and general manager. For now, we’ll focus on the coaching part.
Patriots ownership is now tasked with replacing a coach that brought the franchise to the top of the sports world. Whoever steps in for him will have massive shoes to fill. It’s a daunting prospect for both sides.
Multiple names have been linked to the Patriots’ then-potential head coaching job to various degrees. One common theme seems to be the Patriots will hire somebody with some experience in the organization in the past. So, as we take a look at candidates we’ll start with individuals that fit into that group.
As for a timeline on when a new coach will be named, that probably won’t be immediately. The Patriots will need to go through a full hiring process of interviewing candidates in order to comply with NFL rules. Thursday afternoon’s press conference could offer a better timeline.
Jerod Mayo
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 12: Coach Jerod Mayo of the New England Patriots during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 12, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. The Patriots defeated the Cardinals 27-13. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Mayo, 37, has been linked to the Patriots’ head coaching opening longer than anybody else. Speculation around him getting the job began a year ago (almost to the day) when the Patriots issued a statement saying they’d extended Mayo’s contract. At the same time, Mayo turned down a head coaching interview with the Carolina Panthers. That all seemed to line up for Mayo to be ‘the next guy’ in New England, whenever that time came.
Now, the time is here. In Mayo the Patriots would have one of the top first-time head coach candidates stay in-house. He’d keep continuity on a defense that has played at a high level the last two years. Mayo is also popular among the players in the locker room.
According to ESPN, Mayo is ” a, if not the, leading candidate for the job.”
As a defensive coach, the question with Mayo would be what he would do to get more out of an offense that ranked 31st in the NFL in scoring in 2023. Would he continue the continuity with Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator, or look to replace him? That would be Mayo’s first major decision.
Mike Vrabel
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 24: Head coach Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans looks on during the first half in the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Nissan Stadium on December 24, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
After Vrabel, 48, was fired by the Titans on Tuesday, reports almost immediately starting linking him to the Patriots. Some were even connecting the dots before, after Vrabel spoke glowingly about the organization while back at Gillette Stadium in October to be inducted into the team Hall of Fame.
In Vrabel, the Patriots would be getting an experienced head coach who went 54-45 with the Tennessee Titans. His six-year stint in Tennessee included three consecutive trips to the playoffs, and AFC Championship Game appearance, and Vrabel himself won NFL Coach of the Year in 2021.
While he’s a familiar name to the Patriots from his time as a player, his coaching background is independent of New England. He started at Ohio State, moving on to be a defensive assistant with the Houston Texans before the Titans hired him in 2018.
Like Mayo, Vrabel is a defensive head coach, but having run an entire team before there is some basic background into his offensive philosophies. His team’s offensive approach in Tennessee was different than what the Patriots run as a core concept. His initial offensive coordinator hire was Matt LaFleur, who ran a version of the Shanahan/McVay offense. Arthur Smith replaced LaFleur after one year and continued to involve those concepts in his offense. Whether or not that style would follow Vrabel to New England is the question.
Other familiar candidates
Oct 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches his team play against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports
Based on what we’ve heard so far, most of the noise around the Patriots’ head coaching job is tied to either Mayo or Vrabel. The two combined have gotten the heavy majority of the coverage and speculation.
Still, there are a few other former Patriots assistants who are qualified candidates, who it wouldn’t be surprising to see interview. For offensive coaches that group includes current offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (who was at Sunday’s Patriots finale), and former tight ends coach and Tufts grad Shane Waldron, who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks.
O’Brien would make the most sense of the three given his head coaching background and the fact he’s currently employed by the team. Waldron would be a first-time head coach, and certainly would be one of the more change-invoking candidates. McDaniels is less likely, but could be a candidate to return to the staff in another role.
On the defensive side of the ball, former linebackers coach/de facto defensive coordinator Brian Flores was linked to the opening last week with NFL.com reporting he “shouldn’t be ruled out” as a candidate. Flores, who is currently the defensive coordinator in Minnesota, was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019-2021 and was fired despite finishing over .500 in his final two seasons.
True ‘outside’ candidates
Dec 31, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik on the sideline during the game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
As mentioned in the open, it feels like the Patriots are going to hire somebody they have a certain level of familiarity with to take over for Belichick. If that changes, the hottest names on the market are all young offensive coaches with experience elevating quarterbacks.
The name most fans are probably familiar with is Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. In his two years in Detroit the Lions have finished the season ranked fifth in offense both times, and he’s been tabbed as somebody central to the resurgence of quarterback Jared Goff.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Bobby Slowik, the offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans, has gotten a lot of attention following the outstanding rookie year by quarterback C.J. Stroud. 2023 was Slowik’s first year in Houston, he previously served as the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been considered a top coaching candidate for a few years now, but still hasn’t landed his first head coaching job. Prior to joining Washington this season Bieniemy was the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs starting in 2018 – Patrick Mahomes’ first season as the full-time starter.
One last name to know is Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, who has been in that role since 2019. Callahan is the son of long-time NFL coach Bill Callahan.
