The New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach on Sunday, bringing back a former player that was a member of the franchise’s first three Super Bowl champion teams.

Vrabel played linebacker for 14 seasons in the NFL, including a stint with the Patriots from 2001-08. New England won the Super Bowl in 2001, 2003 and 2004.

Following his retirement as a player after the 2010 campaign, Vrabel was a defensive coach in college football from 2011-13 before moving to the NFL.

He got his first head coaching job in 2018 with the Tennessee Titans and went 54-45 in six seasons while reaching the play-offs three times.

He’s back!

Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel returns to New England as our 16th head coach. pic.twitter.com/a3r7IQNzvk

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 12, 2025

Vrabel was let go after the Titans went 6-11 in 2023, the same year he was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

The Patriots went 4-13 in 2024 in their first year under head coach Jerod Mayo, who was fired hours after the season finale on January 5.

As a rookie linebacker in 2008, Mayo played alongside Vrabel in New England. Mayo led the Patriots that season with 126 tackles and Vrabel ranked sixth on the team with 62 stops.