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Bill Belichick is going to be one of the most intriguing names in the coming months when it comes to head coaching openings, but there is another veteran coach in Mike Vrabel who is expected to be sought after, and some expect him to have an advantage over his former head coach in Belichick in this hiring cycle.
“My sense is Belichick will be somewhere in that second tier of candidates,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN wrote. “The hot coordinator pool, highlighted by Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, typically takes precedence. After that, the pool is wide open, and both Belichick and his former linebacker, Mike Vrabel, will be in the mix. I've talked to people in the league who believe Vrabel, fresh off a successful run in Tennessee, will have the edge over Belichick due to age (49 compared to 72) and his culture-building ability. But they also believe that Belichick's chances to land a head-coaching cycle will be stronger than they were in January, when he spoke extensively with Atlanta but nothing materialized.”
The age is an obvious advantage for Mike Vrabel over Bill Belichick. They both are similar styles of coach, and Vrabel, although he was never on Belichick's coaching staff, played for him with the New England Patriots. Both of them bring a similar style. Vrabel is a defensive coach, while Belichick is known for his defensive prowess as well, even when the Patriots' offense fell off after Tom Brady's departure. The tiebreaker could very well be age when it comes to a team that is picking between the two.
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What teams could Mike Vrabel and Bill Belichick coach in 2025?
When it comes to head coaching openings for the 2025 season, we already know that the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints are looking for new coaches. It seems unlikely that Belichick would go to the Jets, given his history, but Vrabel could be a possibility. Although, both the Jets and Saints could be teams that look to hire coordinators like Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn.
Other possible openings include the Chicago Bears, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns and Las Vegas Raiders. Some of those teams, mainly the Bears and Jaguars who have set quarterbacks in Caleb Williams and Trevor Lawrence, could appeal to the top name on the market in Johnson. Still, there are enough potential openings that both Belichick and Vrabel very well could find new teams for the 2025 season.
