The New England Patriots have the spotlight this week, but not for anything you’d expect. No playoff hopes, no game-winning drive. This time, it’s all about Mike Vrabel’s hiring as head coach, and let’s just say, things are a little… messy. While some see it as a perfect fit for the Pats, others are calling out the process, questioning if the team took the NFL’s Rooney Rule seriously or just went through the motions. Trust me, this isn’t just another coaching hire—it’s about how the NFL handles diversity at the top, and the controversy is only heating up. Stay tuned, because this conversation’s only getting started.

NFL analyst Ryan Clark has taken his stance and Oh boy. He didn’t hold back. “The big news this week is obviously Mike Vrabel being hired by the New England Patriots,” Clark said, “and I think this kind of puts a light on the Rooney Rule, which to me, the New England Patriots made a mockery of.” His issue? The Patriots brought in Pep Hamilton, who’s currently working as an offensive coordinator, and Byron Leftwich, who’s not even in football right now, just to check a box. “Let’s stop with the bullc**p interviews. Just to say, we did what the Rooney Rule was supposed to do,” he added. Basically, Clark is calling out teams for treating the rule like a formality instead of using it to actually consider minority candidates.

The Rooney Rule, introduced in 2003, aimed to create real opportunities for minority coaches. So, if you don’t know about it or have little idea. Let me explain. The Rooney Rule means that whenever an HC/GM/Coordinator position opens up, the team is required to interview 2 minority candidates and for the Coordinator it’s 1. So, they also get those opportunities, just to give them a fair shot.

And it did (Rooney Rule)-at first. But as Clark put it, “It has now run its course and become something that is a joke to NFL and to NFL coaches and, more importantly, to the people it was supposed to help.” In this case, the Patriots technically followed the rule by interviewing Hamilton and Leftwich. But let’s be real—was anyone actually surprised when they picked Mike Vrabel?

Clark also threw out a pretty interesting alternative: “Allow them [teams] to hire someone on the lower level that reports directly to the head coach or offensive coordinator so they can get some of that tutelage.” He’s basically saying, instead of token interviews, why not put these coaches in positions where they can actually grow and gain the experience needed to land these top jobs? That makes sense, right?

At the end of the day, the Patriots‘ handling of this hire is a small piece of a much bigger problem. Clark summed it up perfectly: “Organizations will hire the best person they feel for the job, but let’s not make coaches who have worked their entire lives for this opportunity the token interview.” It’s clear that if the NFL wants to be serious about diversity, the Rooney Rule needs an overhaul—or maybe even a replacement. While Ryan’s take on it was about the Rooney Rule, some other coaches have taken both sides of Mike Vrabel. And that’s kind of interesting to see.

How different coaches are reacting to the Mike Vrabel movement?

Mike Vrabel’s back in New England, and the hire has everyone talking—some hyped, some not so much. Whether it’s Michael Lombardi calling it a “masterclass move” or Rex Ryan out here throwing shade. It’s clear Vrabel’s return is stirring up all kinds of vibes. And let’s be real: the Patriots need something big to bounce back from their recent struggles.

Lombardi was all in on Vrabel’s hiring during The Pat McAfee Show. He said the guy’s got it all—leadership, accountability, and that ex-player swagger that just hits different. “Practices will be tough, but he knows how to work the players through it,” Lombardi said. Translation? Vrabel’s about to bring that grind culture to New England, and Lombardi’s convinced it’s exactly what the Pats need to turn the ship around.

But Rex Ryan? Oh, he wasn’t letting the moment slide. On ESPN, he straight-up said the Patriots must be “desperate” to bring Mike Vrabel back. The shade was real, but classic Rex, right? He threw in a little backhanded compliment, saying Vrabel’s a solid coach. But then hit us with, “The Patriots must be in trouble if they’re bringing him back.” And of course, he couldn’t resist taking a jab at their chances. Joking about wanting to “kick Vrabel’s a** twice a year.” Gotta love that energy, right?

Meanwhile, Vrabel’s already setting the tone in his first presser. He laid it out plain: no one’s got a guaranteed spot, and every player’s gotta earn it every day. “Everyone in this building is going to understand and believe that their job is critically important for our success,” he said. Basically, he’s bringing the no-nonsense, get-your-act-together vibe that New England’s been missing lately.

So, is this the move that brings the Pats back to glory, or just a desperate shot in the dark? The jury’s out, but one thing’s for sure. Mike Vrabel not here to mess around. Whether you’re vibing with Lombardi’s praise or laughing along with Rex’s shade, all eyes are on New England now. Let’s see if Vrabel can actually back it all up.