It’s the end of an era in New England. After twenty-four years and six Super Bowl titles, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft are parting ways. I don’t think anyone could’ve predicted the level of success Belichick would have when he was hired by the Patriots so many years ago. He now leaves a legacy that is almost impossible to follow and while the task is daunting, Robert Kraft will look to find the next Patriots head coach for years to come. While fans reminisce about the great years of Bill Belichick, it’s time to look at five Patriots head coach candidates. Let’s jump into it.
Jerod Mayo
Embed from Getty ImagesThis one is the simplest and arguably the most logical option on the table for Robert Kraft. Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots fit together like a glove. Mayo was drafted by the Patriots in 2008, where he led the defense as a captain, and anchor for nine seasons. In 2019, Mayo was hired as the team’s ILB coach, and since then, his role has steadily grown.
He’d soon start to co-lead the defense with Steve Belichick and gain traction around the league as an emerging, young coach who’ll eventually lead a team. That stands true today as well. Mayo has had head coach interviews in recent years, and almost left New England last offseason. There has been plenty of speculation that Kraft may have promised Mayo that he’d be the eventual successor to Belichick, though no one expected that decision to need to be made in 2024.
McCourty’s Thoughts
Former Patriot Devin McCourty joined NBC Sports Boston’s “Patriots Talk Podcast” and said the following regarding Mayo’s potential as a head coach…
“He’s a leader of men, so no matter where he’s at, what role he has, you just hit on it — he’s been a huge part of that defense continuing to show up week in and week out because he knows how to lead men,” McCourty said. “So I think no matter when he gets an opportunity, he would be ready, he would crush it. And I think he’s going to need a learning curve in the learning experiences from everything.”
Overall, Mayo is beloved by players in the locker room and they haven’t been shy about expressing their appreciation for him. He’s seen as a great leader who demands respect, commands the room, and can lead players. The transition to Mayo would be seamless. He knows ownership, the roster, and the staff. The biggest change for Mayo would be changing offices in Gillette Stadium
Mike Vrabel
Embed from Getty ImagesAlong with Mayo, this is certainly a logical fit. Mike Vrabel is on the open market as a coach after parting ways with the Tennessee Titans where he spent the past six seasons. Vrabel is a former player who spent eight seasons in New England and maintains a strong connection with Patriots ownership. During his return to New England for his induction to the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023, Vrabel didn’t shy away from showing love for the organization…
“I want you not to take this organization for granted,” Vrabel told the crowd. “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.”
The departure from Tennessee is seen by most as not being related to Vrabel’s actual performance on the job. He’s seen by most around the NFL as a great coach. Former Titans offensive tackle Taylor Lewan joined the Rich Eisen Show and gave his thoughts on Vrabel leaving Tennessee.
“That is nuts. … as the season was unfolding to me it was very clear that Vrabes was not the problem. It just wasn’t a team that was filled with enough talent to be truly competitive in the NFL (https://cbssports.com/nfl/) … you could point a lot of fingers, but I didn’t think the finger you could truly point at was Vrabel,” Lewan said, later adding, “I cannot believe it.”
Vrabel is likely to land another head coaching job soon. With seven other openings around the league, there will certainly be options for him. In the end, if Robert Kraft comes calling, Vrabel will certainly pick up the phone.
Brian Flores
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother name, another former Patriot connection. Brian Flores currently holds the defensive coordinator job with the Minnesota Vikings. Before that, he spent over a decade in New England where he grew into the de facto defensive coordinator during multiple patriots Super Bowl runs.
In 2019, Flores took the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins. What followed seems to be pure chaos that involved disagreements with the GM on the next potential franchise QB and an owner who wanted Flores to tank football games. Ultimately, Flores was fired in 2021 and ended his HC tenure with a 24-25 record. Flores then landed in Pittsburgh for a year before taking the job in Minnesota this past season.
Flores, similar to Vrabel and Mayo comes with the approach of a tough coach that commands the attention and respect of players. He also comes with familiarity with Patriots ownership and coaching in New England.
Ben Johnson
Embed from Getty ImagesLet’s discuss the first outside-the-family option for Robert Kraft. If he were to venture outside the family of former Patriot coaches or players, Ben Johnson is one of the hottest names on the market.
The former BC graduate assistant has worked his way through the college and NFL ranks to become the offensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions. The 37-year-old OC has received a lot of credit for revitalizing Jared Goff’s career. The Lions were the fifth-ranked team in scoring and won their first division title in over 30 years this season.
During the Bengals media day heading into their Super Bowl LVI matchup, HC Zac Taylor made it clear his opinion on Johnson…
“I’ve tried to hire Ben many, many, many times. He always just gets promoted to where I can’t get him. Lions coach Dan Campbell knows that,” Taylor told reporters. “I’ve always tried to find a place for him on staff, whether it’s offense, defense, special [teams], it doesn’t matter. He’s one of those guys you want on your staff because he’s brilliant.”
Ben Johnson seems to lead the next wave of young, upcoming offensive coaches that will break into the head coaching ranks. He’s widely expected to take a job this offseason, and the likes of Justin Herbert, Will Levis, and Geno Smith are probably eager about the idea of their team hiring him as their next head coach.
Dave Canales
Embed from Getty ImagesHere is a bit of an under-the-radar option for the Patriots if they do choose to go on the offensive side of the ball. Dave Canales has risen quickly over the past few years after playing a major role in the re-emergence of Geno Smith in Seattle, and then aiding in Baker Mayfield’s comeback season in Tampa this year. The 42-year-old Bucs OC has received raving reviews, including from WR Mike Evans…
“Dave has done a great job,” Evans said. “He’s so positive every day. He knows exactly what to say. And he’s a brilliant mind. So any team would be lucky to have him as the head guy.”
After struggling to find any footing in Cleveland, Carolina, or LA, Baker has to be thrilled he found Canales in Tampa Bay this year. Mayfield enjoyed arguably the best season of his career as he led the Bucs to a division title and back into the playoffs. Canales already has an intervened schedule with the Carolina Panthers. If Robert Kraft is thinking outside the box, Canales should be the name he calls in for an interview.
Other Candidates
Let’s cast a wide net here. We’ve looked through five options but the list can go much longer. Other former Patriot names like Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien may get interviews. If the Patriots were to venture outside the family of former or current Patriot connections, it would seemingly be to look on the offensive side of the ball. On top of Johnson and Canales, numerous other options have interviews scheduled for openings across the league
Ravens OC Todd Monken
Texans OC Bobby Slowik
Dolphins OC Frank Smith
Bengals OC Brian Callahan
Eagles OC Brian Johnson
Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy
The Best Choice
Ultimately, whoever is the next Patriots head coach, he will be facing a task unlike no other: taking the reins from the greatest football coach ever. The two most likely candidates are Jerod Mayo and Mike Vrabel as both are great candidates and worthy options. Both come with similar coaching approaches, but also vastly different experiences as coaches in the NFL. We don’t know exactly what Kraft will be prioritizing in his search. After all, he hasn’t made a decision like this in over 24 years.
If it was my choice, I’d lean towards Mike Vrabel. The man has shown in Tennessee that he’s one of the best coaches in football. He has experience leading an organization. He has experience in New England, and he has the personality to handle taking over for Bill Belichick. Many fans want an offensive coach, and deciding on the offensive coordinator would be very important. But ultimately, I’d want to feel as confident as possible that I’m hiring a great NFL Head Coach. That is Mike Vrabel.
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Featured Image: Rich Storry/Getty Images
