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Browns Officially Lose Key Coach From 2024 Season on Sunday

The Browns saw former coaching consultant Mike Vrabel become the new head coach of the New England Patriots.

By Jovan Alford

Aug 4, 2024; Cleveland Browns advisor Mike Vrabel and head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at the Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio.
Aug 4, 2024; Cleveland Browns advisor Mike Vrabel and head coach Kevin Stefanski and quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey during practice at the Browns training facility in Berea, Ohio. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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Former Cleveland Browns consultant Mike Vrabel will be back on the sidelines in 2025, as the New England Patriots officially hired Vrabel as their next head coach.

The 49-year-old Vrabel, who spent eight years with the Patriots as a player, is replacing Jerod Mayo as the new head coach in New England. Before landing this opportunity with the Patriots, Vrabel joined Kevin Stefanski’s coaching staff as a consultant. 

This was a nice opportunity for Vrabel to take a step back from head coaching after spending the six previous seasons as the lead guy in Tennessee. Vrabel helped the Browns with coaching and personnel.

Stefanski enjoyed having the former Ohio State standout around the team this season as he helped the Browns in a variety of ways.

"Coach ‘Vrabes’ is one of my favorites, Stefanski said (h/t Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com). Just a rock-solid human. Was a great help to this football team, a great help to me, a great help to our scout-team defense. He’s going to do great. Part of adjusting his contract was letting him get a head start on some of these interviews, and I think a team will be lucky to have him."

Vrabel’s contract with Cleveland had expired a day before the end of the year, which opened the door for him to get head coaching interviews with the New York Jets, Chicago Bears, and New England.

However, among those three teams, Vrabel was viewed as the “favorite” to be the next guy in New England after the Pats parted ways with Mayo.

Even though Vrabel only spent a year with the Browns, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him bring a few players or personnel to New England.

Vrabel, who led the Titans to three playoff appearances in his six-year run, will try to turn around the culture in rebuilding. The Patriots only had one more win (4) than the Browns, who finished the year with a 3-14 record.

Coincidentally, the Browns will play the Patriots next season, which should be fun to see Vrabel face off against Stefanski after working together in 2024.

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