Dave Portnoy celebrates Mike Vrabel’s Patriots hiring in new video

No one is more excited about Mike Vrabel’s New England homecoming than Dave Portnoy.

Taking to X on Sunday, the Barstool Sports founder and Patriots superfan celebrated Vrabel’s hiring by putting AFC powerhouses such as the Chiefs and Bills on notice.

“Mikey Vrabel, Mikey Vrabel coming back home! Mikey Vrabel coming back home starts now,” Portnoy said in a video. “We’ve been a little checked out. Hey NFL, hey Mahomes, hey Buffalo, hey everybody else in the league, everybody who thinks they’re on the up and up, we’re back!”

Portnoy added in a follow-up message, “Super Bowl #7 loading!!!”

The Patriots announced Vrabel’s hiring Sunday as their 16th head coach in franchise history.

The former linebacker, 49, played for the team from 2001 to 2008 and won three Super Bowls.

Vrabel succeeds fellow player-turned-coach Jerod Mayo, who was fired last week after posting a 4-13 record in his first season as head coach.

Mayo replaced legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick in January 2024. The newly named UNC coach led the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during his 24-season run.

Vrabel, who coached the Titans from 2018- 2023 before his firing last January, most recently served as a consultant with the Browns.

Before agreeing to terms with the Patriots, Vrabel also spoke to the Bears and Jets about their head coaching vacancies. He interviewed with New England on Thursday.

The Patriots will introduce Vrabel as their new head coach in a press conference Monday.

Five openings remain this hiring cycle with the Bears, Jets, Raiders, Saints and Jaguars.

Chicago reportedly has interest in Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, whose Fighting Irish will face Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20.

Elsewhere, The Athletic reported Sunday that the Raiders have “zero interest” in Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders despite previous buzz linking the two parties.

Sanders’ son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, is one of the top prospects of this year’s class.