Mike Vrabel’s coaching staff with the New England Patriots will have several familiar faces from his time with the Tennessee Titans.
Of the 26 members of the staff announced Wednesday by New England, 11 worked with Vrabel during his six-year tenure in Tennessee from 2018 to 2023. The Patriots hired the 49-year-old Vrabel, a former linebacker for the team who won three Super Bowl rings during his time in New England, as their next head coach on Jan. 12.
Along with defensive coordinator Terrell Williams, who previously served as Vrabel’s defensive line coach with the Titans, three others also are getting new titles with the Patriots.
John Streicher is the Patriots’ new vice president of football operations and strategy after serving as director of football administration in Tennessee. In addition, new inside linebackers coach Zak Kuhr was Vrabel’s assistant linebackers coach in Nashville, while Clint McMillan, the assistant defensive line coach with the Titans, will be the top coach working with that position group for the Patriots.
Other former Titans assistants under Vrabel who will be part of his New England staff are receivers coach Todd Downing (formerly Tennessee’s offensive coordinator), assistant offensive line coach Jason Houghtaling, running backs coach Tony Dews, safeties coach Scott Booker, cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton (who was a defensive quality control coach for Tennessee in 2023), director of sports performance Frank Piraino and assistant special teams coach Tom Quinn.
There were also a handful of holdovers from 2024, the Patriots’ lone season with Jerod Mayo as head coach after a 24-year run under Bill Belichick. Strength and conditioning coach Deron Mayo (Jerod’s brother) will remain in the same position. Also staying on are assistant strength coach Brian McDonough, assistant offensive line coach Robert Kugler and defensive assistant Vinny DePalma. Ben McAdoo, who served as a senior offensive assistant under Mayo, will be a senior defensive assistant under Vrabel.
The return of former longtime Patriots assistant Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator was previously announced, along with the retention of special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer, who held the same job this past season under Mayo.
One other notable hire is tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Thomas Brown. He interviewed for the offensive coordinator position that ultimately went to McDaniels. Brown started this past season as the passing game coordinator for the Chicago Bears prior to being promoted to offensive coordinator at midseason and then to interim head coach for the final six games.
Vrabel said in a release that he wanted to “identify loyal, trustworthy coaches who are diverse in background, ideas, experiences and systems.”
“We will be aligned in our visions,” Vrabel said, “to teach and develop our players with creativity, consistency and an attention to detail with the major goal of developing relationships that stretch beyond the field and meeting rooms.”