What Mike Vrabel Told Tom Brady Before Joining the Patriots Coaching Staff

Las Vegas: So, here’s the scoop. The Raiders didn’t even bother to interview Mike Vrabel before he joined the Patriots. Apparently, he told his buddy Tom Brady, who’s a minority owner of the Raiders, that he was likely heading back to New England.

This explains why the Raiders didn’t chase after him, while teams like the Jets and Bears did. It seems like Vrabel was playing a bit of a game to push the Patriots into making a move quickly.

He officially became the Patriots’ coach in January 2025, and let’s not forget, he won three Super Bowls with them. Everyone thought he’d return to New England after the Patriots let go of Jerod Mayo, but it feels a bit off if he was treating it like a done deal.

Thanks to the Rooney Rule, the Patriots had to interview a couple of minority candidates before making their choice, even if they had their eyes set on Vrabel. They brought in former offensive coordinators Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich for interviews since they were available right away.

And get this, Brady is also trying to recruit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Johnson’s been doing great work with Jared Goff, making him a hot candidate. But the Raiders don’t have a solid quarterback right now, which might make Johnson think twice. Unless, of course, the G.O.A.T. himself is after you!