Mike Vrabel taking over as head coach makes the New England Patriots signing Super Bowl-winning LG Trey Smith "inevitable" in free agency.

The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach. The team announced the hiring Sunday morning. It comes a week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo after the team’s season finale victory over the Buffalo Bills to finish 4-13 in his lone season as coach.

Here's a look back at Mike Vrabel’s Patriots playing career, from defensive dominance to Super Bowl scores. Read more on Boston.com.

After a brief and failed attempt to ignite a new era of New England Patriots dominance after the firing of legendary, six-time Super Bowl winning coach Bill Belichick — an attempt that ended with a dismal 4-13 record in 2024 and the firing of Belichick’s replacement,

Mike Vrabel got the call from the Patriots that the team was trading him to the Kansas City Chiefs. Eight years of service in New England, with three titles, and the linebacker was out of there a year too early perhaps rather than a year too late like so many others who played for that team under Bill Belichick.

Under Mike Vrabel, New England’s coaching staff is going to look a whole lot different than it did in 2024. A handful of assistants already know they won’t be back, offensive coordinator interviews have begun,

The New England Patriots may be closing in on bringing back another familiar face. They hired Mike Vrabel to be their new head coach on January 12 after he played for them from 2001-08 and they might be bringing back Josh McDaniels to be their offensive coordinator.

Vrabel will be the team’s third head coach in as many seasons, but fans are optimistic about the pick. Eighty-eight percent of Patriots fans answered that they think Vrabel is t

Mike Vrabel's hiring in New England emphasizes experience over the risks of untested coaches like Jerod Mayo. Vrabel is a head coach with a track record.