When the NFL regular season comes to a close, it sends the head-coaching carousel into high gear. The 2025 cycle is in full swing and began with six openings across the NFL. One of those has since been filled with the New England Patriots hiring Mike Vrabel to lead the franchise after moving on from Jerod Mayo after one season.

During his introductory press conference on Monday, the Akron, Ohio, native gave a shout out to Boston College football head coach Bill O’Brien and credited him for helping get him prepared to be a head coach in the NFL.

When Mike Vrabel began his post-NFL playing career as an assistant coach at Ohio State in 2011, he had thoughts of one day returning to the New England Patriots. “I think it was important for me to go somewhere else,