The Jets’ Mike Vrabel dreams may be in serious peril thanks to one of their fiercest rivals.
The Patriots’ decision to fire Jerod Mayo shortly after their season-ending win over the Bills on Sunday has thrown a serious wrench into the idea that the Jets could be a player for Vrabel’s services.
Vrabel is already considered one of the top targets to be New England’s next head coach, especially considering the former Titans’ coach’s connection to the Patriots franchise and the tight relationship he has with owner Robert Kraft.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport posted shortly after reporting news of Mayo’s demise that “the name Mike Vrabel very quickly comes to the forefront.”
CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones also reported that Vrabel “will be a top name” in the Patriots coaching search.
Vrabel is considered one of the top head coaching candidates on the market and was expected to have his pick of the litter this offseason.
He had an interview with the Jets last week and is expected to have interviews with the Bears and Saints this week about their vacancies.
Reports indicated that the interview with the Jets had gone “very well.”
“Vrabel and the Jets is certainly something to keep an eye on,” Rapoport said on NFL Network on Sunday before news of Mayo’s firing. “The fact that he took the Jets first is significant. There could be some mutual interest here. A long way to go, but certainly this is one to watch with Mike Vrabel and the Jets.”
But the situation may be changing rather quickly now that the Patriots’ job is open and one NFL reporter seemed to indicate the flirtation with the Jets may have been a ploy.
CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala reported that the interest in the Jets “was to put pressure on Patriots to make a move.”
SportsKeeda’s Tony Pauline reported last week that Vrabel “wants” the Patriots’ head coaching job, even when it looked like Mayo might be retained.
Vrabel played during the dynasty years of the Patriots from 2001-08 as a linebacker and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2023.
During his halftime speech in Foxboro during the team’s Hall of Fame celebration Vrabel declared that “we’ve got a game to win” referring to the Patriots.
As head coach of the Titans, Vrabel helped lead Tennessee to a 54-45 record while reaching the AFC Championship and winning the AFC South twice.
In an interview with The Athletic, Vrabel described what he’ll be looking for when he accepts his next coaching gig.
“There’s got to be clear communication with ownership, so that we understand as coaches what the expectations are,” Vrabel said. “That’s so we can explain to them what’s reasonable, what we can do, what we probably can do and what we’re going to try to do — or die trying. I want to have a structure in place that people see the game the same way I do from an X’s and O’s standpoint, from a personnel standpoint, with team-building. We would hopefully have that alignment, which is critical.
“And I would like to be able to say that there’s a quarterback that you feel like you can win with — or that there’s a path to find the one that you can win with.”
If Vrabel stays true to what he said, that could also put the Patriots ahead of the Jets considering the team’s quarterback situation.
Questions surround whether Aaron Rodgers will be with the Jets next season or even playing in the NFL still.
Outside of Rodgers, there isn’t a clear direction where the franchise will go with the position if he is not brought back.
The Patriots have a young rising star QB in Drake Maye, who has improved throughout the season, along with plenty of cap space to help build a winning roster going forward.
