The Patriots have landed their man, with Mike Vrabel stepping into the role of head coach as of Sunday. This marks a homecoming for Vrabel, whose New England roots run deep, and who was previously a speculated candidate for the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coaching vacancy.
Vrabel’s rumored connection to the Raiders mostly stemmed from his past with Tom Brady, the Patriots legend who is now part of the Raiders’ ownership. Despite the buzz, Vrabel didn’t engage in talks with Las Vegas. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Raiders never even issued an interview request. It seems Vrabel had already made up his mind to head back to Foxboro, and he communicated as much to Brady early on.
“The whispers about Mike Vrabel possibly heading to the Las Vegas Raiders were persistent for months, largely due to his history with Tom Brady,” Pelissero noted after Vrabel’s New England appointment became official. “But it turns out, the Raiders never made a move to interview him. Vrabel gave Brady the heads-up that his heart was set on returning to the Patriots, a sentiment that was well-known across the league.”
With Vrabel no longer a contender, the Raiders are now reassessing their options. Pelissero highlighted Detroit Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn as potential candidates to fill the coaching void in Las Vegas. As the Raiders refocus their coaching search, football fans can only speculate on who might be next to take the helm in the Sin City.
