How Mike Vrabel feels about potentially replacing Patriots' Bill Belichick

Could former New England Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel return as their head coach?

Back in October, former New England Patriot and current Tennessee Titans head coach travelled to Foxborough during the Titans bye week to be inducted into the Patriots Ring of Honor. Vrabel seemed to be overjoyed to have the opportunity to head back to New England to accept the honor, and now, soon enough, Vrabel could be returning to Gillette Stadium for the foreseeable future… this time, not as a member of the Patriots Ring of Honor, but instead, as the Patriots head coach.

Of course, all of this ultimately hinges on what ends up happening with Bill Belichick, the Patriots longtime head coach who has been sitting on the hot seat all season long. It still remains to be seen if Belichick will be returning to New England, coaching another team, or sitting in a studio talking about the NFL next year, but if Belichick doesn't return to the Patriots for his 25th season with the team, it could be his former player who serves as Belichick's heir apparent, per a tweet from Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

“Sources to @BleacherReport: As the #Titans weigh HC Mike Vrabel’s future this week, he’s interested in the idea of returning to the #Patriots, should New England part ways with Bill Belichick.”

Patriots fans seem to be split on whether Bill Belichick should return for the 2024 season. The post-Tom Brady era hasn't been kind to Belichick or his legacy, but the man's brought six Super Bowl titles to New England, so that could be forgiven. It was long assumed that Josh McDaniels would be the one to take over for Bill Belichick whenever it was that Belichick decided to step down. But after two flameouts as a head coach in Denver and Las Vegas, my guess is the Patriots have other things in mind. If it's someone on the Patriots staff who has the leg up, it may be Jerod Mayo, who like Mike Vrabel, won a Super Bowl under Bill Belichick as a player.

But really, it feels like Vrabel, who played for the Pats from 2001 to 2008, should be the guy, if Bill Belichick's time in New England is up.