Rob Gronkowski: Robert Kraft will pursue Mike Vrabel for Patriots coaching job if open
There’s a chance that both New England Patriots (4-12) head coach Bill Belichick and Tennessee Titans (5-11) head coach Mike Vrabel could be out of a job this week.
And if that does indeed happen, the Patriots will be conducting their first head coaching search since 2000, the Titans since 2018. But when it comes to New England, firing the greatest coach of all-time means replacing the greatest coach of all-time.
Where does one look in that situation? Rob Gronkowksi, who played under Belichick and won three Super Bowls in New England, believes that Patriots owner Robert Kraft will turn to Vrabel to replace the 71-year-old Belichick.
“There’s only a lot of smoke because of the New England Patriots’ situation,” Gronkowski said on ‘FOX NFL Sunday‘ of Vrabel being on the hot seat. “And there will be fire if Coach Belichick is gone. Mr. Kraft will get on the phone with the Tennessee Titans organization and figure out a way to get Mike Vrabel to be the head coach of the New England Patriots.”
Titans have decision to make about Mike Vrabel
As Gronkowski mentioned, Vrabel is a Patriots legend, having won three Super Bowls in his seven-year tenure with the team (2001-08). The former linebacker turned head coach is a member of the Patriots Hall of Fame as well as the franchise’s All-2000s, 50th Anniversary and Dynasty teams.
Vrabel has spent the last six seasons in Tennessee, guiding the team to a 53-45 record and three playoff appearances. Over the last two seasons, however, the Titans have gone 12-21 and have lost 18 of their last 23 games. According to a report from former NFL executive Michael Lombardi, the Titans “wanna keep Vrabel, but I think Vrabel’s not happy with the setup that he has.” Lombardi cited issues between Vrabel and the front office.
Vrabel responded to the report this week, as well as rumors concerning his job status.
“If we believed everything that was on social media, it’d be Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and there’s no tooth fairy, you know that,” Vrabel said, via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. “So, I really have never responded to any of those. And we’re not going to start now… Of course, I want to be here. Be here as long as we can win, as long as we can do this thing, and it’s been great. But it also has been just this year. And nobody wants to be where we’re at.”