This week, we witnessed one of football’s most historic changing of the guards ever. Two of the game’s winningest coaches, Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, have stepped away from the teams that they made so dominant.
We must delve into one of the most difficult questions: who will be the next head coach of the New England Patriots? Before getting into the list, let’s evaluate how owner Robert Kraft will most likely approach this decision.
It would be difficult to envision Kraft diverging from what has brought the Patriots to the franchise they are today. A veteran, seasoned coach has the highest probability of being brought in. This presumably disqualifies candidates like Ben Johnson, Frank Smith, and Bobby Slowik.
This position will require a coach who has experience and understands what the Kraft family is looking for.
Here are five potential fits.
5. Steve Spagnuolo
Spagnuolo has been the Kansas City Chiefs’ defense coordinator since 2019 and boasts a coaching history that dates back to 1981 at UMass Amherst. Under Spagnuolo, the Chiefs’ defense improved drastically each year, ranking 25th, 21st, 12th, and fifth in PFF’s defense grade before sliding slightly to 15th in 2023. The anchor of this current Patriots team is the defense, and Spagnuolo can ensure this will remain intact while building an offense. The years spent with Andy Reid have given the Massachusetts native access to potential offensive coordinator candidates who can replicate what Kansas City does offensively.
4. Jerod Mayo
Not many will understand the Patriot Way better than the former Defensive Rookie of the Year and Super Bowl champion. Mayo played in New England from 2008 and 2015 and began his tenure on the Patriots’ coaching staff in 2019. An internal hire is not out of the picture, and while it’s possible ownership will look to clean house and start fresh, Mayo has been loudly rumored for this position.
3. Jim Schwartz
Schwartz has unlocked a monster defense in Cleveland with his ace being All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett. The Browns’ defense is ranked sixth, according to PFF, and owns the best pass-rush grade. Another decorated coach with history dating back to 1989, Schwartz fits the mold of what New England will look to have: an experienced, serious coach who understands this city wants to return to dominance. Schwartz was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator when they beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl in 2018, so he knows what the Patriots need to do offensively to rebuild.
2. Jim Harbaugh
After hiring an NFL agent and winning a National Championship, it’s nearly a given that Harbaugh will look to make his return to the NFL. Harbaugh is the winningest coach available, outside of Belichick himself, and may jump in front of Ben Johnson as the most sought after Head Coach candidate. Harbaugh has had success now at the college level with Stanford (50-29), in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers, (49-22-1 and a Super Bowl Appearance), and 114-89 at the University of Michigan and winning that aforementioned National Championship. Harbaugh has been surrounded by turmoil this year, with suspensions and NCAA violations at the forefront, however this is not something that New England is not familiar with. Numerous cheating allegations confronted the Patriots during their dynasty, and Kraft will know how to approach the issue being brought up if Harbaugh is shown as a candidate.
1. Mike Vrabel
Speaking of a former player, Vrabel is another that we can copy and paste the Mayo narrative here. Vrabel understands better than any other coaching candidate what both Robert Kraft and New England fans want from the Patriots going forward. He spent seven years with the Patriots from 2001 to 2008, winning three Super Bowls, earning a spot on New England’s All- 2000’s Team, and a First Team All-Pro nod in 2007.
Vrabel was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023, which may have been the beginning of the end for his time with the Titans. He spoke glowingly of the Patriots franchise, stating “I want you not to take this organization for granted, I’ve been a lot of places. This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.”
Titans general manager Ran Carthon, uniquely, was not the individual who made the firing decision. “This was (Titans owner) Amy Adams Strunk making the decision based on a lot of things,” NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday. “Including what happened when he went to New England for the Hall of Fame thing. Including not dispelling rumors in-house that he was going to be the Patriots coach.”
Tennessee ownership decided to oust Vrabel before he left on his own.
The writing has been on the wall since November that this was the last year of Belichick’s tenure in New England, and being as close as he is to the franchise, Vrabel may have caught wind of this even earlier. He’s the clear favorite to be the next man up in New England.
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