Mike Vrabel Perfect Hire For Patriots Despite Imperfect Coaching Search
Mike Vrabel is the perfect coaching hire for the Patriots, which is the most important thing.
But that doesn’t completely overshadow the fact it was an imperfect coaching search by Robert Kraft and company, who squandered opportunities to gain valuable insight from well-respected individuals around the league.
The Patriots held four interviews, but only two with serious candidates.
New England fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo last Sunday about 90 minutes after its season finale. From that point forward, it was clear the Patriots jumped on their horse and started racing with blinders on.
New England interviewed Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton on Tuesday, despite the fact both have been out of the league in recent years and neither were considered a serious contender for any job this offseason. The Rooney Rule, which requires at least two interviews with minority candidates, was satisfied less than 48 hours after New England fired its first Black head coach. It sparked backlash from those in the media, those around the league and those within the confines of One Patriot Place. Not great.
It didn’t get any better when Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn denied New England’s interview request, which was sent out only after the Patriots received the aforementioned backlash about Leftwich and Hamilton. The Patriots, who already called the Lions to request offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, didn’t ask to interview Glenn at the time. Glenn likely denied the interview because he knew it was a public relations move by a team that had no intentions to hire him.
Ultimately, the Patriots interviewed the two best coaching candidates this offseason with Vrabel and Johnson. It’s important to remember that.
Those two entered as the most attractive for different reasons as Vrabel’s culture-instituting gave him a leg up on everyone else while Johnson’s innovative mind made him the best partner for quarterback Drake Maye. The front office gained insight into each with those meetings.
New England reportedly was impressed by Johnson, who met with the decision-makers virtually Friday due to league rules. Johnson wouldn’t have been to meet with the Patriots in person until at least Jan. 20, if they pushed off any hiring until then, which they didn’t.
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Not to say you don’t learn a lot during the course of a three-hour virtual interview, but wouldn’t it have been nice to schedule an in-person sit down with someone of Johnson’s ilk? Another chance to pick Johnson’s brain, especially considering Maye’s trajectory, could’ve helped the Patriots, no? There’s no denying they’ve had one of the worst offenses in the league since Tom Brady’s departure.
The Patriots passed on that opportunity, though. They also opted not to interview offensive-minded candidates like Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Cohen, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and others who are gaining interest from teams around the league.
Counterpoint: There’s something to be said about being decisive. The Patriots might have been in a situation of damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Could you imagine if the Patriots dragged their feet in the process, interviewed their secondary options and Vrabel signed elsewhere? Kraft and company would have been crucified for not acting fast enough.
The most important thing is the Patriots hired not only the best candidate this offseason but the best for their job. The perfect outcome didn’t follow the perfect process, however.