‘Hopefully I’ll get to kick his ass’: TV star fires shot at former rival as Patriots hire new head coach

Mike Vrabel is going back to Foxborough.

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The 49-year-old, who also interviewed with the Jets for their vacancy, has agreed to become the next head coach of the Patriots.

Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a linebacker for the Patriots in eight seasons and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame.

He had a 54-45 record across six seasons as the Titans head coach, making the playoffs three times, including an AFC Championship game appearance five years ago.

He also won Coach of the Year honours in 2021.

The Titans fired Vrabel after the 2023 season, and he spent time as a consultant with the Browns this year.

Discussing the hiring on ESPN’s NFL Countdown, former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan couldn’t help but take a lighthearted jab at Vrabel.

Shortly after it was reported Sunday that Vrabel had agreed to become the next head coach of the Patriots — leaving the Jets without one of the first candidates to interview for their vacancy and likely one of their top choices — Ryan reacted.

“Hey, man, hopefully, I get to kick this guy’s ass twice a year. I don’t know,” said Ryan, who also interviewed last week for the Jets’ vacancy.

“I’m just kidding, Vrabes. I’m just kidding, buddy.”

The other analysts laughed at Ryan’s open campaigning to be rehired by the Jets, who he coached to consecutive AFC Championship games early in a tenure that produced a 46-50 record (2009-14).

The Jets and Patriots are both in the AFC East division, meaning they play each other twice a season.

Vrabel replaces Jerod Mayo, who was fired last Sunday after just one year as the Patriots head coach.

Mayo replaced Bill Belichick, who split from the franchise last year after 24 seasons.

Vrabel instantly became the favourite for the Patriots job once the team fired Mayo, who went 4-13 in his lone season on the job.

Mayo’s firing after just one season was controversial, with former Patriots star Rob Gronkowski calling it “unfair.”

Owner Robert Kraft admitted after firing Mayo that he put the rookie coach in “an untenable situation.”

The Patriots are the first of six teams with head coaching vacancies to hire a new coach. The Jets, Bears, Saints, Jaguars and Raiders are looking for new coaches.