The New England Patriots tried one of their former linebackers as their head coach and it didn’t work. Now try another one.

Mike Vrabel and the Patriots have reached a multi-year agreement to name him the team’s new head coach. according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He would replace Jerod Mayo, who was fired after just one season.

The biggest difference between Vrabel and Mayo is the experience. As head coach of the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel had a 54-45 record in six seasons, including three trips to the playoffs and one to the AFC title game. Vrabel also has a strong connection to the Patriots. He spent eight of his 14 NFL seasons with the Patriots and was part of three Super Bowl championship teams led by Bill Belichick.

For the Patriots, Vrabel appears to be a good fit for a rebuilding team. When the Patriots fired Mayo after he took a 4:13 lead, it seemed like it was partly because Vrabel was available. Vrabel interviewed with the Jets on January 3 and the Patriots released Mayo a few days later. It was hard to believe that there was no connection between the two messages.

Vrabel is in high demand. The Chicago Bears interviewed him after the Jets. There has been much speculation that the Las Vegas Raiders would be interested in hiring Vrabel, given the connection between him and former Patriots teammate Tom Brady, who is now co-owner of the Raiders. The Patriots obviously focused on him in their search as well.

The reason Vrabel was a hot name was his time with the Titans. Vrabel began his head coaching career with four consecutive successful seasons, including three postseason appearances. In 2021, the Titans went 12-5 and were the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Vrabel received a lot of credit for this success, and the respect for him around the league didn’t diminish too much as he ended his time with the Titans with two losses.

With the Patriots, Vrabel would take over a roster that has many holes. The Patriots have a record of 8-26 over the last two seasons. But New England has hope for a quarterback after Drake Maye’s promising rookie season.

Vrabel appeared to be a good fit with the Patriots last season, but the Patriots had reportedly reached an agreement with Mayo to become Belichick’s successor. After an unsuccessful season with Mayo, Vrabel was still available. And the Patriots selected him to lead their team in 2025 and beyond.