Vrabel, McDaniels could coach together with Patriots

Patriots

“Obviously Mr. Kraft didn’t see Jerod Mayo being that culture builder that he was hoping to be over the last season.”

Count Rob Gronkowski among those shocked to see the Patriots move on from Jerod Mayo just an hour after their 2024 season came to an end. 

But the former New England tight end and four-time Super Bowl champion believes that the Patriots could bring in a few old friends as the team looks for its third head coach in as many seasons. 

Shortly after Mayo’s firing was announced, Gronkowski offered up his reaction during Fox’s NFL broadcast. 

“I was surprised by that,” Gronkowski said. “Rookie head coach, the roster that he was handed wasn’t that prominent — it’s tough. It’s a tough situation in New England. Obviously Mr. Kraft didn’t see Jerod Mayo being that culture builder that he was hoping to be over the last season.”

Former Patriots linebacker and ex-Titans coach Mike Vrabel has already been tabbed as one of the frontrunners for New England’s coaching vacancy, a sentiment that Gronkowski echoed on Sunday.

“Obviously Mr. Kraft has a plan as well going forward,” Gronkowski said. “Probably hoping to get Mike Vrabel. There’s some rumbling out there that Josh McDaniels may come back as well as offensive coordinator.”

While Vrabel has been floated as a potential target for New England even before Mayo was fired, McDaniels is a bit of a surprising mention. 

McDaniels is clearly no stranger to New England. He joined the team as an assistant in 2001 before eventually becoming the team’s offensive coordinator from 2005 to 2008 season. He returned to New England to be the offensive coordinator again in 2012 and had been in the same role until taking over as the Raiders’ head coach at the end of the 2021 season.

Over his two stints in New England, McDaniels won six Super Bowl titles, building a strong rapport with Tom Brady while crafting intricate offensive systems. In his final season as Patriots OC, McDaniels helped Mac Jones post a Pro Bowl campaign as a rookie before the QB flamed out in 2022 and 2023. 

While Vrabel holds the label as a defensive-minded coach, pairing an experienced head coach like him with a highly-regarded OC like McDaniels could offer some stability in New England — while giving Drake Maye a useful resource to further improve his game. 

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.