Patriots Rebound Under Vrabel As Mayo Eyes NFL Return

The NFL’s coaching carousel is spinning at full tilt this January, but few names are generating as much intrigue as Jerod Mayo. Just over a year removed from a turbulent stint as the New England Patriots’ head coach, Mayo finds himself at the center of speculation as teams across the league weigh their next moves. Meanwhile, the Patriots themselves have staged one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent league memory, setting the stage for a high-stakes AFC Divisional Round clash with the Houston Texans.

Let’s rewind to where it all began for Mayo and the Patriots. After the legendary Bill Belichick era ended, Mayo was elevated to head coach for the 2024 season. The hope was that his years as the team’s inside linebackers coach would translate into leadership at the helm. Instead, the Patriots stumbled to a 4-13 record, a steep fall from their storied past. According to multiple sources, including Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report, the decision to part ways with Mayo after just one season was as much about the franchise’s need for a fresh start as it was about the on-field results. Patriots ownership has been candid about the move, with public comments acknowledging not only the financial cost of such a quick coaching reset but also the operational challenges it posed.

Yet, as the Patriots moved on, Mayo’s reputation within league circles remained largely intact. While his head coaching résumé is, as one writer put it, "simple on paper and complicated in perception," the consensus is that Mayo still brings plenty to the table—especially as a defensive mind. He’s widely respected for his communication skills, leadership, and deep understanding of linebacker play, all cultivated during his years in New England’s system.

Fast forward to the present, and the Patriots’ fortunes have been dramatically reversed under new head coach Mike Vrabel. Hired for the 2025 season, Vrabel has done what seemed nearly impossible: he led New England to a 14-3 record after back-to-back 4-13 campaigns. The team clinched the AFC East title and won its first playoff game since 2019—without a single first-team All-Pro player on the roster. Owner Robert Kraft didn’t mince words when he appeared on ESPN’s "Sunday NFL Countdown" ahead of the Divisional Round matchup: "He’s been amazing with the culture in the locker room, how he has been able to connect. It’s the hardest thing with a team to get everyone to put team first and their own personal records in the background. He’s done that, and they really feel connected to him."

Vrabel’s impact has been felt throughout the organization, but nowhere more so than in the unselfish, team-first mentality that now defines the Patriots’ locker room. The transformation is all the more impressive given the absence of star power, and it’s a testament to Vrabel’s ability to foster belief and unity in a group that had grown accustomed to losing. The result? A shot at the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl title, with the Houston Texans standing in the way this Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

But there’s another subplot to this playoff showdown: the presence of Nick Caley on the Texans’ sideline. Caley, now Houston’s offensive coordinator, spent years with the Patriots from 2015 to 2022, serving as tight ends coach under both Belichick and Mayo. In fact, Caley was nearly named New England’s offensive coordinator in 2024, turning down a lucrative offer that would have paid him nearly $3 million a year. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, "Caley just didn’t feel like it was right at the time. Based on the fate of Jerod Mayo, it seems like he made a good decision there, and now he’s here leading C.J. Stroud and the Houston offense."

Caley’s journey is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL. Blocked from joining Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas in 2021, Caley instead spent two years with the Los Angeles Rams before landing in Houston. Now, he faces his old team with a chance to send the Texans to the AFC Championship Game. On the other side, the Patriots’ offense is orchestrated by the returning McDaniels, whose work with second-year quarterback Drake Maye has been nothing short of spectacular. Maye’s MVP-caliber season has powered New England’s resurgence and set up a tantalizing chess match between two coaching staffs loaded with Patriots DNA.

Meanwhile, as the Patriots and Texans prepare for their playoff clash, Jerod Mayo’s name is cropping up in coaching conversations across the league, especially as defensive coordinator positions open up. The Minnesota Vikings are at the center of much of this talk. Their defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, is out of contract and fielding head coaching interviews, including with the Washington Commanders. Should Flores depart, Mayo is reportedly a top candidate to replace him, despite never having served as a defensive coordinator at any level. As Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon pointed out, "Mayo disappointed in his first head coaching stint in 2024 with the Patriots, but the 39-year-old spent several years as a primary play-caller for New England and experienced plenty of success during that time."

Still, there are risks. Mayo’s lone season as a head coach saw the Patriots’ defense fall to 22nd in the league in both total defense and points allowed—a sharp contrast to the Vikings’ third-ranked defense in yards allowed and seventh in points allowed in 2025. Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is said to prefer keeping Flores, but Mayo’s name remains in the mix as a logical, if somewhat bold, alternative.

For Mayo, the path back to the NFL seems most likely to run through a coordinator or senior defensive assistant role. As of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2026, there’s no official announcement tying him to a new job, but his reputation as a leader and defensive strategist keeps him in the conversation. As one recent analysis noted, "NFL hiring often rewards potential, relationships, and a clear role definition. Mayo’s clearest value proposition right now is not ‘head coach again.’ It’s ‘high-upside defensive leader who can stabilize a unit and grow into more.’"

So what’s next for Jerod Mayo? Three possibilities loom: a defensive coordinator post if the right opening appears, a senior defensive assistant or linebackers coach job on a staff seeking leadership, or another year away from the sidelines while waiting for the perfect fit. For now, teams and fans alike are watching to see if Mayo’s name moves from the rumor mill to the interview room.

As the Patriots and Texans gear up for their high-stakes Divisional Round battle, the NFL’s coaching drama adds yet another layer of intrigue to an already thrilling postseason. The game’s outcome remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: the league’s next chapter will feature plenty of familiar faces in new places.