In January 2020, the Mike Vrabel-led Tennessee Titans ended Tom Brady's time in New England by upsetting the Patriots in the wild-card round, 20-13. Five years later, Vrabel was introduced as the 16th head coach of the Patriots.
Vrabel was fired by Tennessee last offseason after going 54-45 in six years with the Titans. He took a consultant position with the Cleveland Browns for the 2024 season, but is now back home in Foxborough, charged with leading the franchise he won three Super Bowls with during his time as a star linebacker.
While Bill Belichick's first replacement didn't work out, the legendary Patriots head coach believes Vrabel will do a "great job" in New England. He commented on the first head coaching hire of the offseason during an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show."
"I have a ton of respect for Mike, I think he does a great job, he prepares his teams well, they're very good in situational football, they're tough, they're competitive, they're smart, just like he was as a player," Belichick said. "I think the teams that he's coached and the positions he's coached follow very much in his playing style and his preparation style. I love Mike, I love everything that he stands for as a football coach. I have a lot of respect for him, I'm sure he'll do a great job."
Belichick knows first-hand that Vrabel can be a good NFL head coach. After all, Vrabel owns a 2-1 record coaching vs. his former boss!
Vrabel's time in Tennessee did end on a low note, as he went a combined 13-21 over his final two seasons with the Titans. However, Vrabel won the AFC South in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021, and was named NFL Coach of the Year in 2021 after earning the No. 1 seed in the conference with a 12-5 record.