Oct 21, 2023; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots former linebacker and present Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel makes a speech at his 2023 Patriots Corridor of Fame induction within the Cross Insurance coverage Pavilion at Gillette Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Eric Canha-Imagn Pictures Mike Vrabel made a triumphant return to New England as head coach of the Patriots on Monday.
A former linebacker and Tremendous Bowl champion below Invoice Belichick, Vrabel stated he felt the transfer again to Foxborough was proper “in his soul.” Vrabel beforehand coached the Tennessee Titans and spent final season as a advisor for the Cleveland Browns.
“I am humbled, I am grateful,” Vrabel stated Monday, recalling being inducted into the workforce’s Corridor of Fame in 2023. “Excited to get to work. Excited to fulfill the individuals on this constructing who’ve made this place particular.”
The Patriots final reached the playoffs on the finish of the 2021 season, shedding 47-17 to the Buffalo Payments within the wild-card spherical. Since that loss, New England is 16-35 and transferring to a 3rd head coach in three seasons.
Vrabel credited earlier coaches and mentors from Belichick to Invoice O’Brien, who made him a linebackers coach with the Houston Texans, for getting him again “to the place the place I wished to be.”
“After I began my teaching profession, I believe it was essential to go some place else to start out one other teaching journey,” Vrabel stated Monday. “I felt prefer it was essential to forge my very own path some place else and if all these experiences led me again right here and the proper alternative, then that was the place to be.”
Vrabel, 49, takes over for former teammate Jerod Mayo, who was fired after one season as Belichick’s alternative as hand-selected by Robert Kraft. The Patriots’ proprietor stated Mayo was positioned in an untenable scenario and took fault for New England ending 4-13 for the second consecutive season.
Vrabel spent 4 seasons within the NFL with the Steelers earlier than signing with the Patriots in 2001 and successful three Tremendous Bowls in eight seasons. Kraft took a stroll down reminiscence lane Monday, reflecting on Vrabel’s progress and what introduced them to the reunion.
“These private traits additionally made him a really high-performing coach,” Kraft stated of Vrabel’s six years operating the Titans. “In 2019, he beat us proper right here within the playoffs in Tommy’s (Tom Brady) final recreation as a Patriot. In 2021, he completed as the most effective document within the AFC at 12-5.
“Within the interview course of, Mike confirmed us that he had a really deep understanding of our present workforce. Most significantly, he had a transparent and centered technique of easy methods to get us again to a championship manner that’s so essential to all of us, but additionally one thing I believe our fan base deserves and expects.”
Vrabel stated he desires to concentrate on as many factors of contact — personnel, coaches and himself — as potential to make all workers really feel the identical quantity of care that they put money into the workforce.
“This connection piece,” Vrabel stated. “I’ll have a relationship with each single one in all them. … That is what I wish to construct.”
–Area Degree Media
