Now the real excitement begins.

Indeed, Mike Vrabel has returned to Foxborough, just as expected. A week after Jerod Mayo was dismissed shortly after finishing his brief stint as Bill Belichick’s successor, the New England Patriots confirmed on Sunday that Vrabel will be their new head coach.

So much for an extensive search. There was no lengthy process, no need for exhaustive interviews, and no extensive reference checks.

Patriots owner Bob Kraft secured the coach everyone anticipated. Although Vrabel met with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, and the Las Vegas Raiders were a potential dark horse due to his connection with Tom Brady, it always seemed likely he would find his way back to New England.

It’s also telling that Aaron Glenn, the sought-after Detroit Lions coordinator, declined New England’s invitation for an interview.

Vrabel is set to be introduced as the new coach at noon EST on Monday in the same location where he was honored in the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2023. The expectations are high after two disappointing seasons with 13 losses each. The sentiment is fitting. A member of three of the franchise’s six Super Bowl winning teams, this former linebacker returns as an accomplished coach, having led the Tennessee Titans to three playoff appearances in six years, with seemingly all the right tools to succeed.

Kraft’s message is likely something like: Come make this right!

However, the real intrigue will come from the power dynamics at play. To land Vrabel, it’s likely he will have more authority over personnel decisions than Mayo did in his first-time head coach role.

After all, Vrabel has enough experience with the Titans to understand the necessary balance between coaching and personnel decisions. While inheriting promising young quarterback Drake Maye is a significant advantage, how Vrabel collaborates with the current (and possibly restructured) personnel department will be critical to his potential for success.

Tedy Bruschi, a former teammate and close friend of Vrabel’s, shared valuable insights regarding the transition from Mayo to Vrabel during ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.”

“When they appointed Jerod, the term ‘collaboration’ was frequently mentioned at his introduction,” Bruschi, the prominent analyst, noted during the pregame coverage. “Everyone’s input was valued. However, I’m not sure if that’s still the case, which I see as a positive development.”

The Patriots currently lack a general manager, a position that has not existed during Kraft’s ownership. Belichick operated effectively as his own general manager, a situation that echoes the past conflicts between him and Kraft regarding the team’s direction.

After Belichick’s exit, Eliot Wolf was elevated from scouting director to executive vice president of personnel, taking on the responsibility for final personnel decisions. He is supported by senior personnel executive Alonzo Highsmith, who joined the franchise last year.

Most of the personnel staff, however, are remnants from the Belichick tenure, which has faced criticism for its results in recent years, leading to a shortage of talent on the roster.

A crucial question arises: Will Vrabel hold the final decision on personnel matters?

“In my view,” Bruschi added on ESPN, “there are individuals in the front office who need to realize, ‘You aren’t making the right choices, and it’s time for you to step back.’

“Vrabel isn’t here to play around. He’s going to tighten things up.”

That’s precisely why Vrabel is seen as a solid hire. Apologies to Mayo, but the process the Patriots followed to arrive here leaves much to be desired.

To begin with, Kraft’s decision to hire Mayo last year limited the Patriots’ ability to conduct a comprehensive search for Belichick’s replacement. He locked Mayo into a contract clause that effectively made him the successor, feeling it was necessary to secure him long-term given the interest from other teams.

Ultimately, this decision hindered Mayo’s ability to perform, knowing a rebuilding phase was needed due to the lack of talent on the team.

Let’s hope that Mayo, who was a victim of circumstance within the organization, receives another shot at a head coaching role in the future. This also highlights a trend where Black coaches face stricter standards compared to their white counterparts—since the Rooney Rule’s establishment in 2003, almost 31% of minority head coaches have been dismissed after one season, while less than 10% of white coaches have faced similar fates during the same timeframe. Mayo certainly did not receive the same level of patience and support that Vrabel’s successor, Brian Callahan, received from the Titans after concluding his initial season with a 3-14 record.

Naturally, Kraft—who could have chased Vrabel last year if not for his prior agreement with Mayo—spurned Mayo for the opportunity to attract one of the most sought-after candidates available.

This serves as a crucial lesson for all team owners: Exercise caution when selecting your next head coach. Circumstances can shift. The market can change.

In the Patriots’ case, their swift compliance with the Rooney Rule has raised a series of questions. Two days after Mayo’s dismissal, they interviewed former coordinators Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich, who have not coached in the NFL since 2022. Were they legitimate candidates?

It’s possible that Hamilton and Leftwich have positioned themselves as serious contenders for coordinator or other roles on Vrabel’s staff. Time will reveal this. There’s also speculation suggesting that Josh McDaniels, the former Patriots coordinator who had disappointing stints as a head coach with the Denver Broncos and the Raiders, could make a return to Foxborough.

Regardless of the outcome, by finalizing a multi-year deal with Vrabel during Wild-Card Weekend, the Patriots achieved something during the playoffs that has become increasingly rare since Brady’s exit.

They scored a notable win.

Stay updated with YSL News Sports’ Jarrett Bell on X @JarrettBell.