Rob Gronkowski thinks Patriots are ‘hoping’ to get Mike Vrabel after Jerod Mayo firing

The New England Patriots didn’t take long to make Jerod Mayo the first head coach fired at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

Mayo was officially dismissed just over an hour after the Patriots’ win over the Buffalo Bills in Sunday’s regular-season finale. The win, though, was arguably more deflating than any of the losses Mayo suffered throughout the 4-13 season, which was also his first year as a head coach. New England lost out on holding the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as a result of the win, falling three spots in the draft order.

Still, it was reported on numerous occasions during the season that team owner Robert Kraft would likely keep Mayo, before the Patriots went on a six-game losing streak ahead of Week 18.

NFL on FOX analyst Rob Gronkowski, who was a teammate of Mayo’s with the Patriots for several seasons, was among those caught off guard by Sunday’s announcement.

“I was surprised by that, no doubt,” Gronkowski said during the NFL on FOX’s halftime show. “Rookie head coach — the roster that he was handed wasn’t that prominent. It’s tough. It’s a tough situation in New England.”

To Gronkowski’s point, the Patriots went 4-13 last season under Bill Belichick and didn’t make many significant upgrades to their roster. They drafted Drake Maye with the third overall pick, but their only notable free-agent additions were depth pieces. They also had a significant amount of cap space, using it to mostly re-sign players who were a part of their 2023 team.

Fellow NFL on FOX analyst Michael Strahan thought Mayo was given too short of a leash. 

“Young guy, first-year coach, first-year quarterback — c’mon, give the guy a chance,” Strahan said.

Shortly after Mayo’s firing on Sunday, reports emerged that Patriots Hall of Famer and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel would be a leading candidate for the role. Gronkowski senses that’s who his former team wants to hire. 

“Obviously, Mr. Kraft didn’t see Jerod Mayo being that culture builder that he was hoping to be over that last season,” Gronkowski said. “Obviously, Mr. Kraft has a plan as well going forward. He’s probably hoping to get Mike Vrabel. There’s some rumblings out there as well that Josh McDaniels may come back, as well, as offensive coordinator.”

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowl titles with the Patriots as a player, is one of the top names on the coaching market this offseason. He helped the Titans make the postseason four times in his six seasons in Tennessee, going 54-45 before his firing at the end of the 2023 season.

The New York Jets have already interviewed Vrabel, meeting with him for a few hours on Friday.

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