Players and opponents would do well not to go at new Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Former Pats QB Brian Hoyer knows that well.

The New England Patriots made the first move in the 2025 NFL coaching carousel this weekend when they officially named Mike Vrabel as the franchise's 16th head coach. Vrabel was among the hottest commodities on the market— and also interviewed with the New York Jets and Chicago Bears before landing in New England.

As a former player, coach Mike Vrabel always had connections to the New England Patriots organization, and that was probably enough to get him a coaching job with the team earlier. However, he felt a need to leave New England and build his own path to an eventual