New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has been on the job for a week and is ramping up his efforts to build out his coaching staff in Foxboro. There has been a flurry of news over the last several days, included potential additions to Vrabel’s staff as well as a number of subtractions.
With four more teams eliminated from the NFL playoffs over the weekend and a number of assistant coaches now available to move on, that could expedite the process in New England. Vrabel is on the hunt for a new offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, among many other positions.
Former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels remains a hot name connected to the New England job, but Vrabel and the Patriots are also looking elsewhere to fill the role. Here is the latest in New England’s search to build out Mike Vrabel’s coaching staff.
Patriots interview Thomas Brown for offensive coordinator job
The Patriots interviewed Chicago Bears interim head coach/offensive coordinator Thomas Brown last week, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
It’s interesting that Rapoport termed New England’s OC job as “vacant” considering there has been no confirmed news on Alex Van Pelt’s future with the team. But Rapoport’s report would indicate that Van Pelt will not be back, as previously reported by The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin shortly after Jerod Mayo was fired.)
Brown, 38, had a three-year playing career as a running back for the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns, and immediately got into coaching when his playing days ended following the 2010 NFL season.
Brown served as the running backs coach for a number of college programs from 2012-2019, before he joined Sean McVay’s staff in Los Angeles in 2020. He was the running backs coach of the Rams from 2020-21 and the tight ends coach in 2022, and was McVay’s assistant head coach in both 2021 and 2022. He was the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator in 2023 and then Chicago’s pass-game coordinator to start the 2024 season.
Brown was promoted to Chicago’s OC after Shane Waldron was fired in early November, and then was named interim head coach when Matt Eberflus was fired. The Bears went 1-4 to close the season with Brown as the team’s head coach.
Brown worked with No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams last year in Chicago, but his three years on McVay’s staff make him an appealing candidate to come in and work with Drake Maye in New England.
Patriots interview Marcus Brady for offensive coordinator
The Patriots have also interviewed Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator job, according to Rapoport.
Brady has been coaching in the NFL since 2018, after he spent a decade as a coach in the Canadian Football League. (Brady also won three Grey Cups as a CFL quarterback.)
The 45-year-old has experience as an NFL offensive coordinator, holding that position for the Indianapolis Colts in 2021 and 2022. He was a senior offensive assistant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 before he joined Jim Harbaugh’s staff in Los Angeles for the 2024 season.
