Why the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as next head coach

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In a move that was widely expected across the NFL, the New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as head coach a week after firing Jerod Mayo. Vrabel's prior coaching experience -- in which he went 54-45 over six seasons with the Tennessee Titans that also included a 2-3 record in the playoffs -- was appealing to the Patriots, as was owner Robert Kraft's prior background with Vrabel from his playing career as a linebacker in New England (2001-2008).

This is the fourth head coach that Kraft has hired since purchasing the team in 1994, the others being Pete Carroll (1997-1999), Bill Belichick (2000-2023) and Mayo (2024).

Taking a closer look, ESPN Patriots…