“We’re gonna put something out there that you guys are proud of.” That is how Mike Vrabel warmed up to the Patriots fanbase after being appointed as the franchise 16th HC on January 12. Vrabel played as a linebacker for the Patriots from 2001 to 2008 and was an integral member of three Super Bowl championship teams and returns to New England boasting an impressive CV as a head coach.  The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year in 2021, has a lot to fix at Pats and it seems he is getting down to business.

Robert Kraft took responsibility when he made the decision to fire Jerod Mayo, one year after appointing him as the Patriots’ head coach. The owner who had been eyeing Mayo for the role for a long time said that he felt terrible for putting him in an “untenable situation.” He then mentioned that he needs to find a coach who can get them back to the playoffs and “hopefully championships.” Mike Vrabel, who took the Titans to the AFC Championship game in 2019, fits the bill.

The Pats are actively looking for an offensive coordinator to help kick off the Vrabel era in New England. among all the possible lists of candidates, one name is getting every bit of recommendation and that is Josh McDaniels—the man who worked his magic with Tom Brady for almost a decade in Foxboro.

Vrabel also confirmed that McDaniels is on a long list of coaches he has worked with. McDaniels’ name is getting a lot of support from other circles as well and one of those people who is actively endorsing the name of Josh McDaniels as the Patriots’ new OC is Boston’s head coach, Bill O’Brien.

He just couldn’t stop praising McDaniels for the outstanding coach he is on The Greg Hill Show on Thursday: “Josh is a brilliant offensive coach, very smart guy. You know a guy that just understands the position. The offensive system, the scheme. I think Josh is a great football coach.” See, Bill O’Brien also had a bit of a role to play in McDaniels’ legendary status with the Patriots.

He worked with McDaniels for one season in New England and credits this stint for his development as a coach. “I’m very biased, Greg, because when I went to the Patriots, I worked for Josh and Dante for a full season. I learned so much about football from Josh. I just think that Josh is a great football coach.”

After he left for the job at Penn State, Bill Belichick decided to bring McDaniels back into his old role. McDaniels was on the Patriots’ coaching staff for all eight years that Vrabel was a player in New England. If getting a familiar face in place for his new role is important for Vrabel, then hiring McDaniels as an OC is an easy decision.

During his tenure under Bill Belichick, he built a reputation as a strong offensive coordinator and led Brady’s offense to multiple Super Bowl wins.

His first one came in 2014 when the Patriots won the Super Bowl XLIX over the Seahawks. Then came the greatest Super Bowl comeback over the Falcons in 2016, which the NFL will probably never witness again. On both occasions, McDaniels won the Super Bowl as an assistant coach.

He then won Super Bowl XXXIX as the Pats quarterbacks coach. His first Lombardi as an OC came in Super Bowl XLIX and his offense flipped a 28-3 scoreboard to win 34-28 in Super Bowl LI overtime. So, McDaniels clearly knows how to work his magic as an offensive mastermind from the sidelines.

Earlier on Wednesday, Rob Gronkowski was also full of praise for McDaniels, citing his role in the development of players as a key factor in his success. Speaking on the “Up & Adams” show on Wednesday, Gronk said, “Josh McDaniels has a full grasp of the offense. He knows how to demand respect as an offensive coordinator,” Gronkowski said. “He gets the players to listen to him. He draws up wonderful schemes to get his players open.”

Outside of his Patriots tenure, which he completed in two different stints, McDaniels has failed to replicate his success as head coach. His first HC role was at the Broncos from 2009-2010 and ended with an 11-17 record. Following his second and more successful run with the Pats, he joined the Raiders as HC in 2022 but a 9-16 record meant he lasted only a year.

But will Vrabel consider Bill O’Brien and Gronk’s endorsement and bring in McDaniels as his offensive coordinator? That remains to be seen, but for now, the Patriots’ new head coach needs to adjust to his new GM, Eliot Wolf, to land key targets.

Mike Vrabel joins hands with returning Eliot Wolf to kick start new Patriots era

The last time Vrabel was a head coach, he didn’t really have a great equation with his GM. The former Titans head coach had a tough time dealing with then-Titans GM Jon Robinson when he traded A.J. Brown to the Eagles. So, considering his previous stint with GMs, there were a few questions about whether he would like to work in tandem with Wolf because he couldn’t bring his own GM. However, it seems like Vrabel doesn’t have a problem working alongside Wolf to take New England where it belongs.

When asked whether he remains comfortable in strategizing alongside Wolf on WEEI, the 3-time Super Bowl winner said, “Absolutely. Beyond comfortable. I wouldn’t be here, and I think through the conversations and the interview process. And the conversations with Eliot and with Robert and with Jonathan, and just trying to put a roster together and a program.” 

Now, besides just talking about working with Wolf. The new Patriots coach spoke a little on the possibility of bringing Josh McDaniels into his staff, “Um…Yeah. I mean. I’m going to look at every possible candidate that can help us. We’re going to start that process today. This afternoon, and visit with some great coaches, and then we’ll see where things go.”

So, we could expect Vrabel to meet Josh because he knows what it truly means to be a Patriots OC. And who knows, maybe he could help Drake Maye taste some success in New England like he did with Tom Brady.