After being fired by the Titans, Mike Vrabel spent most of 2024 with the Browns, working as a coaching and personnel consultant.
It was always meant to be a temporary stop, as Vrabel was set to become one of the best options in the 2025 head coaching cycle. With a 5-2 start, it’s clear that the Patriots are headed in the right direction with Vrabel at the helm.
In Week 8, Vrabel and the Patriots will host the Browns. Vrabel said on Monday that he enjoyed his time with Cleveland and the people in the building.
“I enjoyed working with Kevin [Stefanski], the offensive staff, Tommy Rees and Chad [O’Shea],” Vrabel said. “I played with [special teams coordinator] Bubba [Ventrone]. So, a lot of good young coaches. Jim Schwartz — I had a really good relationship with Schwartzy. They’re playing really well. They’re coming off a huge win. They’re a great defense, offense is physical, physical O-line. Running backs are doing a nice job.
“So, we’re going to get prepared as soon as we shut the door here with the Titans and moving on to the Browns.”
Vrabel noted that he felt the Browns had “great communication” in their building, though he wasn’t trying to get involved in day-to-day operations.
“I was trying to help the players. I was trying to help the young coaches,” Vrabel said. “That wasn’t something that I got involved with. I tried to help with player development. But they have a great organization as far as the structure and everything. But I tried to be involved with the young coaches and with the young players, and help them in practice and help them develop.”
From an analytics standpoint, the Browns have a reputation for being heavy into data. Did working with Cleveland change Vrabel’s perspective in that area?
“I mean, that’s certainly something that they believe strongly in,” Vrabel said. “We were getting involved with it in Tennessee, probably not to the extent that Cleveland has. We’ve added, and I feel like we all do. That can help us on a coaching level, and also help us as we look at personnel. So, we’ll continue to try to enhance that department, that area and how they can help us looking at what we do internally, but also externally as we look at players and acquiring players. But probably won’t get to that extent of where they’re at right now overnight.”
With the way the Patriots have been playing in 2025 under Vrabel, they may not need to do so anytime soon.
