Former Star Cautions Patriots Against Mike Vrabel Hire

The New England Patriots are widely expected to hire Mike Vrabel to be their next head coach. While that move is not set in stone just yet, things certainly seem to be trending in that direction.

Vrabel, who was a star linebacker during his time playing for the Patriots, has a good track record of success as a head coach. He helped the Tennessee Titans be a very competitive football team during his tenure with the franchise.

Most are hoping to see New England bring Vrabel in. However, there are some who don't think it would be the right move. One of those people is none other than former NFL linebacker Bart Scott.

Scott thinks that the idea of hiring Vrabel is more based on the past and trying to re-find the "Patriot Way." Unfortunately, he thinks that way is building is dead.

“Sometimes peope fall in love with the past,” Scott said. "The Patriot Way is dead and gone."

“Sometimes people fall in love with the past.”@BartScott57 thinks the @Patriots are mistakenly chasing former glory by potentially bringing back Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels https://t.co/qdlfHbdtHV pic.twitter.com/Er5CbymP5h
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) January 9, 2025

While there is a chance that Scott might be right, Vrabel is a franchise builder. He is known for being an elite leader, which is exactly what the Patriots need.

As they try to build around young franchise quarterback Drake Maye and continue to develop and build the team around him, having steady and strong leadership will be a major key. Vrabel can bring that leadership.

Heading into the offseason, New England will have a chance to make a massive jump from 2024 to 2025. They have the most cap space in the NFL and they have excellent draft capital.

If they can hire Vrabel, add a few major impact players in free agency, and bring in some young playmakers in the draft, they could speed up their turnaround dramatically.

All of that being said, there is no guarantee about anything that the Patriots could do. Hiring Vrabel isn't even a guarantee right now.

Even though Scott doesn't like the fit and has some warnings about it, Vrabel would be an elite hire for New England and would be a massive upgrade on the sideline from Jerod Mayo.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!