FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots introduced Mike Vrabel as their new head coach at a press conference at Gillette Stadium today. The 2021 NFL Coach of the Year becomes the 16th head coach in franchise history.
Vrabel is a three-time Super Bowl champion with New England and was voted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023. He is recognized as one of the most versatile linebackers and best free agent signings in team history.
He has 14 years of coaching experience, including 11 years in the NFL and three seasons at Ohio State. The Tennessee Titans hired him as their head coach in 2018, and he led the Titans to two division titles and three playoff appearances during his six seasons at the helm. In 2019, the Titans upset the Patriots in Foxborough in the wild card round, then defeated the No. 1 seed Ravens in Baltimore the following week to advance to the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs. In 2021, the Titans claimed the top seed in the AFC with a 12-5 record, earning Vrabel NFL Coach of the Year honors.
Vrabel retired from the NFL in July of 2011 after a 14-year playing career with Pittsburgh (1997-2000), New England (2001-08) and Kansas City (2009-10). He became the linebackers coach at Ohio State in 2011 and then served as the defensive line coach for the Buckeyes for two seasons (2012-13). In 2014, Vrabel was hired by the Houston Texans as the linebackers coach (2014-16) and was promoted to defensive coordinator for the Texans in 2017. After six seasons as the head coach of the Titans (2018-23), he spent last season with the Cleveland Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant.
