The New England Patriots are back in the AFC spotlight-and it’s no coincidence that Mike Vrabel is at the center of it all.
For Patriots fans, Vrabel’s name already carries weight. He was a cornerstone of three Super Bowl-winning teams during the franchise’s early-2000s dynasty.
Now, he’s back in Foxborough, not as the hard-nosed linebacker he once was, but as the head coach steering the ship. And just like he did as a player, Vrabel is making a major impact.
Let’s take a closer look at the path that brought him here-and how he’s managed to turn things around so quickly.
From the Field to the Sidelines: Vrabel’s Coaching Journey
Mike Vrabel didn’t just jump into the NFL coaching ranks overnight. His journey started where his playing career began-at Ohio State.
From 2011 to 2013, Vrabel cut his teeth on the Buckeyes’ coaching staff, first as a linebackers coach under Luke Fickell, and then as a defensive line coach when Urban Meyer took over. Ohio State went 14-2 over Vrabel’s final two seasons there, giving him a front-row seat to high-level college football success.
But it didn’t take long for the NFL to come calling.
In 2014, Vrabel joined Bill O’Brien’s staff in Houston as the Texans’ linebackers coach. The New England connection between O’Brien and Vrabel made the move a natural fit.
After three seasons developing the Texans’ linebacking corps, Vrabel was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2017. The Texans struggled that year, finishing 4-12, but Vrabel’s reputation as a leader and motivator remained intact-and it set the stage for his next big opportunity.
Building a Contender in Tennessee
In 2018, the Tennessee Titans handed Vrabel the keys to the franchise. He wasted no time making an impression.
The Titans went 9-7 in his first season, showing immediate signs of progress. Then came the 2019 campaign-a breakout year.
Vrabel’s Titans snuck into the playoffs and proceeded to knock off the Patriots and Ravens in back-to-back road games, earning a trip to the AFC Championship. It was a gritty, physical playoff run that mirrored Vrabel’s own playing style.
Over the next two seasons, Tennessee kept the momentum going. The Titans posted 11-5 and 12-5 records in 2020 and 2021, respectively, winning the AFC South both years.
They even earned the No. 2 seed in 2021. But postseason success proved elusive-Tennessee went one-and-done in both playoff appearances.
Still, Vrabel had established himself as one of the league’s more respected head coaches. His teams played tough, disciplined football.
His players bought in. And he won 54 games in six seasons-third-most in franchise history, just one shy of Bum Phillips for second place.
But the NFL is a what-have-you-done-lately league. After back-to-back losing seasons in 2022 and 2023, the Titans opted for a reset. Vrabel’s final two years in Tennessee saw a combined 13-21 record, and the organization decided to move in a new direction.
A Year to Reset in Cleveland
Vrabel didn’t jump back into head coaching right away. Instead, he spent the 2024 season as a consultant with the Cleveland Browns, working alongside Kevin Stefanski. It was a chance to stay close to the game while returning to his Ohio roots-Vrabel grew up in Akron-and to refine his coaching philosophy away from the day-to-day grind of the head job.
The Browns struggled that year, finishing 3-14, but Vrabel’s time behind the scenes gave him a different vantage point. It was a reset year, and it set the stage for his next chapter.
A Homecoming in Foxborough-and a Fast Turnaround
In 2025, the Patriots made a bold move: they brought Vrabel back to New England, this time as their head coach, replacing Jerod Mayo. The hire was more than just a nostalgic nod to the past-it was a strategic decision to blend the franchise’s championship DNA with a modern voice who’s proven he can lead.
The results? Immediate.
Vrabel guided the Patriots to a 14-3 record in his first season, a jaw-dropping 10-win improvement from the year before. New England reclaimed the AFC East crown and looked every bit like a team on the rise.
What makes this turnaround even more compelling is how Vrabel has managed to honor the legacy of Bill Belichick-his former coach-while clearly establishing his own identity. He never coached under Belichick, but he learned plenty as a player. Now, he’s applying those lessons with his own twist: a player’s perspective, a leader’s voice, and a coach’s vision.
Vrabel by the Numbers
Through the end of the 2025 season, Vrabel owns a career head coaching record of 68-48. That puts him in the top 10 among active head coaches in wins-an impressive feat considering he’s only been at it since 2018.
In Tennessee, he went 2-3 in the postseason, with both of those wins coming during that memorable 2019 run. His 54 victories with the Titans rank third in franchise history, and he coached 99 games there-second only to Jeff Fisher.
Now in New England, Vrabel has already added another playoff win to his resume, and the Patriots look poised to make more noise in January.
What’s Next?
Vrabel’s coaching arc has been anything but linear-but that’s what makes it so compelling. From college assistant to NFL coordinator, from playoff runs in Tennessee to a year behind the curtain in Cleveland, and now a triumphant return to the Patriots, he’s taken every experience and turned it into growth.
And if this first season in New England is any indication, Mike Vrabel isn’t just back-he’s just getting started.