Waiting on Belichick and Kraft, Mike Vrabel Fired by Titans | Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast - video Dailymotion

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In the latest Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast with Nick Cattles, Greg and Nick delve into the uncertain future of Bill Belichick, as anticipation builds around owner Robert Kraft's forthcoming decision. Additionally, they provide a live reaction to the breaking news of the Tennessee Titans parting ways with head coach Mike Vrabel, discussing the possibility of Vrabel being a potential successor to Belichick in New England.  Check Greg's Coverage out over at www.bostonsportsjournal.com, for $50 on BSJ's annual plan. Not only do you get top-notch analysis of all the Boston pro sports, but if you're a Patriots junkie — and if you're listening to this podcast, you are — then a membership at BSJ gives you access to a ton of video analysis Bedard does on the coaches film, and direct access to him in weekly chats.  This episode of the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast w/ Nick Cattles is brought to you by:  Fanduel Sportsbook is the exclusive wagering parter of the CLNS Media Network! Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY in BONUS BETS – GUARANTEED when you place a FIVE DOLLAR BET. That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS in BONUS BETS – WIN OR LOSE! Go to https://FanDuel.com/BOSTON! The app is so easy to use and there are so many different ways to bet like:  ● Live Same Game Parlays ● Find Bets in the NEW Explore Tab ● Make a parlay in the Parlay Hub – the best way to find popular parlays ● And more!  DISCLAIMER: Must be 21+ and present in select states. FanDuel is offering online sports wagering in Kansas under an agreement with Kansas Star Casino, LLC. First online real money wager only. $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable bonus bets that expire 7 days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG in Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee, and Virginia. Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 in Arizona, 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat in Connecticut, 1-800-9-WITH-IT in Indiana, 1-800-522-4700 or visit ksgamblinghelp.com in Kansas, 1-877-770-STOP in Louisiana, visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland, visit 1800gambler.net in West Virginia, or call 1-800-522-4700 in Wyoming. Hope is here. Visit GamblingHelpLineMA.org or call (800) 327-5050 for 24/7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-8HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

Transcript

00:00 Hold on Greg. We've got breaking news in the NFL

00:03 Mike Vrabel was just fired by the Tennessee Titans

00:08 Wow, this is Adam Schefter

00:12 Just moments ago

00:15 he says

00:16 Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel per sources

00:19 Vrabel led Tennessee to four consecutive winning seasons after a rise in arriving in 2018

00:25 The Titans have experienced back-to-back frustrating seasons finishing multiple games under 500 both times. So

00:31 Tennessee

00:35 Just fired Mike Vrabel. There is a new prospective head coach on the market

00:40 That is not going to cost you a draft pick Greg Bedard

00:43 That is fascinating and

00:47 If I am the crafts

00:50 This would accelerate my timeline. One of the things that I was going to bring up was

00:55 What if the crafts are sort of fighting their time to figure out what happens with Mike Vrabel?

01:01 All right, so I think Greg got the gum out of his mouth I think we both cleared our throats

01:12 I think we're ready to go. It is the Greg Bedard Patriots podcast dick cattle's episode brought to you by FanDuel

01:18 Exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS media network right now new customers get 150 bucks in bonus bets

01:25 guaranteed when you place a $5 bet

01:27 Before we get into the palace intrigue the drama the storylines

01:33 Let's start quickly. We're not gonna talk about the game because nobody cares about that game

01:38 But I did want to ask you Greg your thoughts on the end on Sunday the Belichick walking off the field the Belichick press

01:45 Conference just everything that you saw play out once the game was over

01:51 By the way, I I watched the I haven't watched the offensive film yet

01:54 but I started watching the defensive film and I was just like

01:57 This is pointless. Should I even watch this because it wasn't so much the game in the performance

02:02 It's just like when it comes to it like in my evaluation and season-long evaluation

02:08 Should this game count as much as the others from a weather perspective?

02:12 I mean like if somebody does really well in this game are really bad

02:15 Like it could skew sort of their grade and that's what I do after the season, you know

02:19 I grade the team I grade the players

02:22 You know projecting in the next year should they keep them should they not keep them?

02:26 I decided to watch it, but man I gotta say it was a rough watch

02:31 but just in general

02:33 The scene on Monday the possibility that it could be Belichick's last game as Patriots coach

02:40 My comment basically is it sucked. I mean it sucked all the way around like it just

02:47 You know, I know I know some people will say it was fitting for Belichick the way that it ended and you know

02:53 he's got the mask on and you know weather game and

02:57 Sort of like karma or any of that stuff. Like I just didn't think that was right

03:01 I didn't think any of it from the you know, the snow storm made it a ridiculous game

03:06 You know that the crowd there wasn't much of a crowd there like if it was a decent weather day

03:13 I think the I think the place would have been packed and you know with like five minutes left or whatever when Brees Hall

03:19 You know scored that touchdown to basically end the game

03:23 You know, I think there would have been some Belichick chance and you know, you know, thank you Bill

03:28 Something like that and you know instead there was none of that they were like, you know

03:33 no, by the end of the game, it was like it looked like one of the Eastern Mass Super Bowls in Gillette Stadium and

03:38 You know, he's got his mask on he goes out there

03:42 He just walks down the steps no, you know salute to the crowd

03:47 I know we talked about you know what we had in mind for the finale, you know

03:51 I got to tell you the truth. I mean thinking about it over the last couple weeks

03:54 Like, you know, it would have been nice

03:57 Ideally, it would have been nice that if the crafts are indeed moving on from bill and we'll get into that in a second

04:03 If they were indeed moving on from bill

04:06 It would have been nice if the two sides came together and maybe sort of leaked it out together that you know

04:11 this is gonna be Bill's last game and

04:13 Then we would have had outpouring of support, you know, maybe the maybe the players carry bill, you know

04:20 They beat the Jets instead of what happened on Sunday. Maybe some of the players carry bill off the field

04:25 Like I know I'm a big softy

04:27 Especially I'm a big romantic when it comes to Bill Belichick. I know guilty as charged, but I just I wanted something different

04:35 I what what happened on Sunday?

04:37 It just sucked like it was there was no joy in Mudville. It was a sad

04:43 Pathetic ending and it really doesn't sit well with me that that could be the last time that we see Bill Belichick

04:52 coaching the Patriots and and

04:55 You know

04:57 Those are gonna be lasting images

04:59 I mean, I know we have the Super Bowls and we have other things and we got the Apple Dynasty thing coming out that you know

05:05 The trailer just dropped for it

05:07 But

05:10 You know say bill goes on to coach someplace else

05:13 It's gonna be sort of like Brady like in time will remember all the good things

05:18 But for now with Brady you sort of remember how it ended here him winning in a Bucs uniform

05:25 And it sort of gives you indigestion

05:28 I I assume that's the way it is for Patriots fan

05:31 And I think if this is the way it ended for bill, this is what you're gonna remember for a long time until we get after

05:38 He they're done going into the Hall of Fame. Maybe that's when you start to remember all the good times, but

05:43 It just stunk. It's Sunday was just not it was it was not a good time for anybody

05:49 No, there was certainly no Rudy moment for Belichick or anything

05:54 No like that and you've got to imagine like if you're looking at this you're Robert Kraft

06:00 When you were drawing this up in your mind when you were visualizing it

06:03 Everybody knows what the plan is. I think by now like hey

06:06 2024 you get through that year Belichick break Shula's record. It's a perfect transition to Mayo

06:12 this thing could not have

06:14 exploded in the face of craft any more than it did and

06:17 I could just imagine him sitting there as the Jets are doing

06:20 Snow Angels at the end of Belichick's last game as the Patriots head coach and just thinking what the hell this is not what I

06:27 Had in mind. Alright, let's uh, let's look forward though because this is what everybody's talking about

06:31 There's so many things that are gonna happen here over the next couple of months

06:35 I mean between the coaching decision free agency the draft, but we start with the meetings Greg. They continue to go on

06:42 What do you know about how this is being put together and how long these meetings might go?

06:48 Well, you know, I'll just you know readily admit a lot of this is a blind spot for me

06:55 I think it's a blind spot for a lot of people because it's really a party of three and

06:58 Nobody really knows talking to people in the building. Hold on Greg. We've got breaking news in the NFL

07:04 Mike Vrabel was just fired by the Tennessee Titans

07:09 Wow, this is Adam Schefter

07:13 just moments ago

07:16 he says

07:18 Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel per sources

07:21 Vrabel led at Tennessee to four consecutive winning seasons after a rising arriving in 2018

07:27 The Titans have experienced back-to-back frustrating seasons finishing multiple games under 500 both times. So

07:33 Tennessee

07:36 Just fired Mike Vrabel. There is a new prospective head coach on the market

07:41 That is not going to cost you a draft pick Greg Bedard

07:45 That is fascinating and

07:49 If I am the crafts

07:51 This would accelerate my timeline. One of the things that I was gonna bring up was

07:56 What if the crafts are sort of biding their time to figure out what happens with Mike Vrabel?

08:02 And I know there were reports in Tennessee yesterday that Vrabel

08:07 Was basically gonna go into ownership and demand at least

08:11 somebody to be put in charge of football operations because Mike really just wants the coach and

08:18 Like we talked about the shotgun marriage would ran Carthon was not gonna work

08:22 It was not I mean, you know, when did I bring this up like six weeks ago?

08:26 and of course, I got pillared in Nashville saying that I was racist and other things but

08:32 you know, this is very real and

08:35 You know if they are moving on from Belichick I if I'm the crafts I don't know how Mike Vrabel is not

08:43 The number one possibility for me and I know the you know, I hear from people on Twitter like, you know

08:49 He's he's the same as Belichick. Look at his record the past two years

08:52 Yeah, look at his record over the last four years. Look at the personnel on that team. Look at the quarterback

08:57 I mean, he didn't have all you have to say, you know when it comes to Vrabel

09:01 He didn't have personnel control bill did how can you compare Vrabel to Belichick?

09:06 And and here's what I would say about people who are are worried about him as a defensive head coach

09:11 first of all, I think he is I

09:13 Think he is the new version of Belichick and as far as the game coach if you like bill the game coach. I

09:19 think variables even better right now on top of this game, but as far as offense if

09:23 His and I agree and I'm I'm one of these people that

09:28 That has been adamant about this over the years if you get a defensive coach

09:33 You're inheriting problems with their offensive coordinator having success and leaving and now you have to start over again

09:41 That's part of what happened with Vrabel in Tennessee

09:43 He had Matt LaFleur his first year went to Green Bay. Then he had Arthur Smith. He went to Atlanta now Arthur Smith is open

09:50 but if you bring if you bring Mike Vrabel in here and

09:54 You know, there are three candidates

09:57 For offensive coordinator who probably aren't going anywhere anytime soon bill O'Brien who Vrabel worked under in Houston

10:04 Arthur Smith who's now free after Atlanta

10:08 and

10:10 Josh McDaniels. Yep. And so

10:12 You know you're I would say you're you at least have five years with one of those guys

10:18 If not, all of those guys if if you're Mike Vrabel who you know knows all of these guys

10:24 So to me, I think I think Vrabel is going to be a hot commodity if I'm the Patriots

10:30 You know now he's he's not one of these guys who's under contract who they can't talk to until January 22nd

10:37 You could talk to Mike Vrabel right now. Now. You can't hire him until January 22nd when you you you can

10:44 Begin to hold the two mandatory minority interviews

10:48 mandated by the Rooney rule

10:50 But you can get your ducks in a line and I'll be interested to see if this increases the timeline a little bit for the crafts

10:57 Diana Rossini with the latest and I should say that Rossini

11:03 Swing and a miss on this one

11:07 Let's give Greg Bedard a lot of credit here

11:10 And this is not to blow a smoke up his skirt, but it is to give him some credit the man did right

11:16 month month and a half ago

11:19 That Vrabel was unhappy that this was a possibility of Vrabel getting out of Tennessee not necessarily getting fired

11:26 But getting out of Tennessee. I

11:28 Mentioned it on the pod on that day that Rossini was pushing pushing this idea that now the Titans are happy

11:35 The Titans are happy with Vrabel. Well Rossini

11:37 Shifting gears here a little bit

11:40 She posts on X Twitter, whatever the hell you want to call it. The Tennessee Titans have fired head coach Mike Vrabel

11:47 Just six weeks ago owner Amy Adams Strunk had plans for Vrabel to be part of the organization

11:54 We now know where Rossini got her newsroom for years to come believing. They had a top NFL coach

11:58 recently ownership changed its mind so

12:03 You thought you had a top NFL head coach six weeks ago all of a sudden. I

12:07 Don't I don't know what happened in the final month and a half that would wipe away

12:13 Everything that Vrabel had done. Okay

12:16 Jordan Schultz tweets out Vrabel to the Patriots watch is on

12:20 Greg I'm gonna I'm gonna throw this out there right now because this is something I mentioned on my podcast and the cattle show today

12:29 And I'm not look I think it's very unlikely that a trade would happen

12:33 however

12:36 We know how these things work I

12:38 Found it very telling and fascinating

12:42 But on the same day

12:45 We had the most

12:47 Declarative statement and this was from Rossini

12:51 So take it for what's worth because now I think we do look at and say, okay, you know

12:55 She's been right on a lot of things, but she got this one

12:57 You know, she might have been wrong on this one

12:59 But saying hey look the Falcons interested in Belichick if Belichick's no longer with New England

13:04 They're interested in Belichick on the same day. I think like less than an hour later Jordan Schultz comes out

13:11 Mike Vrabel is interested in the Patriots

13:14 You and I know this without getting into detail

13:17 Let's just do this rapid-fire quickly

13:20 Is it true or not true Greg that a lot of these things that come out from insiders like you from beat writers?

13:27 This stuff has been talked about for probably

13:30 Days, if not weeks before it happens, correct

13:34 Correct. Okay

13:37 Bill Belichick's advisor and I give J. Stew a lot of credit on this one Bill Belichick's advisor

13:43 No longer really agent, but advisors Neil Cornridge, correct? Mm-hmm, correct

13:47 Mike Vrabel's agent for a long long time Neil Cornridge, correct?

13:51 Correct. Okay, so

13:55 Let's put the pieces together here folks

13:57 Belichick and Kraft are having these meetings about his future

14:01 Story comes out. Hey look

14:05 Atlanta is very interested in Bill Belichick and they just happened to fire their head coach who by the way was the offensive

14:12 coordinator for Mike Vrabel before Vrabel before he left Tennessee to go to Atlanta and

14:17 then we have

14:20 Vrabel oh, he's interested in New England. I

14:23 Don't know if you have it. You obviously have some ties with Vrabel because you were ahead on this

14:28 I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable spot

14:31 but

14:33 Am I crazy to think that Neil Cornridge is out there playing some games and trying to align these stars?

14:39 To get his guy Mike Vrabel where he wants to go and possibly the guy he advises Bill Belichick and a spot that would be

14:47 Good for Bill B

14:50 I think you're I think you're spot-on. I would not move you off that I

14:55 Said this on the podcast today, I don't know if it's going to be a trade

15:01 but people are talking about

15:04 the idea of leverage Greg and

15:07 Some are saying that

15:11 And by the way, Ian Rappaport is jumping into this saying fair to say keep an eye on New England

15:16 And what's next for Bill Belichick regarding Vrabel?

15:19 Mm-hmm

15:21 Here's a scenario for you and this is why I don't buy that Kraft has zero leverage

15:25 And I'm not telling you that Bill's gonna get traded or he's gonna get fired. He's gonna just just talking leverage here

15:30 What if Robert Kraft who has a relationship?

15:33 Pretty good relationship with Arthur Blank for several reasons going back to 2000

15:40 Is it possible

15:44 Neil Cornridge middleman

15:48 Kraft knows that Arthur Blank his buddy wants Bill

15:51 Couldn't Kraft go to Bill and say hey look, I don't mind having you as head coach in

15:58 2024 but I'm not going to give you a long-term extension and

16:02 You open the door on Monday saying that you're willing to collaborate on personnel

16:06 So what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna hire somebody from the outside and guess what they're going to directly

16:10 Report to me and if there's any question about personnel, I'm going to have the final say and

16:17 You're gonna be a lame-duck head coach

16:19 with your personnel power getting stripped slowly from you at the age of 72 or Bill or

16:27 Arthur wants you down in Atlanta and Arthur is willing to pay you four years 25 million a pop to run the entire

16:34 organization like you've done here, but the only way that you're gonna be able to go to Atlanta is

16:39 If you say yes to this and I could work out a deal with Arthur Blank. I

16:45 Don't think that's a crazy scenario. I think it's unlikely, but I don't think it's a crazy scenario

16:50 Right. I don't think it's crazy. I think it's unlikely

16:53 I think you know, we're looking at a situation here and I think Bill, you know set the tone in his press conference

16:59 Well quote-unquote press conference on Monday

17:02 Which was just a joke, by the way

17:04 Virtual season-ending press conference for 13 minutes with no follow-ups

17:09 I don't know if that's been done in the history of the NFL. Most of those things are in person

17:14 They're at least a half an hour

17:16 If not, I've been in some that have been 45 minutes to an hour. It's sort of like hey

17:21 All right, it's over before the offseason like this is this is what you get and instead we got that the other day

17:27 Which again if you're the crafts and you want your your team back

17:32 That wouldn't have moved them off that so anyways, but him coming out and stating

17:39 Without even being prompted about I'm under contract

17:43 you know bill was

17:45 setting the terms both for the crafts and for other teams and

17:50 And I've been in this place for a while the people I talked to last week

17:55 I wrote a column for Sunday morning about sort of

17:58 You know what the situation was between Belichick and the crafts and and how he might might approach things

18:03 This is either a firing or he's here. It's like that. I

18:08 Don't see a scenario where he's traded, but you know, I'm not gonna rule it out

18:12 All right. Let me ask you this

18:14 You kind of mentioned this quickly about the the offensive coordinator

18:18 Obviously this this news of Mike Rable getting fired in Tennessee swings what we're gonna talk about here

18:23 But the breaking news and this is the stuff that I love but let me ask you this

18:27 variable found

18:29 Found a strong variable brings in LaFleur works out. LaFleur is gone

18:34 Then he brings in Arthur Smith Arthur Smith does a good enough job to get a hire down in Atlanta

18:39 So it's rather obvious to me that variable does a pretty good job of it's either him or his agent or whoever

18:45 identifying offensive minds

18:48 If he wants to if he wants to keep this thing in the Patriots world

18:53 Let's say because I know that you know, you've talked about Josh McDaniels an awful lot here

18:59 would Josh McDaniels rather stay here in New England and

19:03 Run the entire offense

19:07 Hypothetically for Mike Rable or would he stay loyal with Bill Belichick and go with Belichick if Belichick goes somewhere else

19:14 That is a great question Nick

19:17 I think I

19:20 Think if I'm Josh, I would be conflicted

19:23 I think he'd near he'd need to hear the selling points on both teams. I mean, there's certainly pluses and minuses on each side

19:32 If he has designs on being a head coach again, and I know a lot of people listening to this are scoffing at it

19:37 You'd be like he was a disaster twice. He's not gonna happen. Okay fine

19:41 You know, whatever you think but he's still a young man and he could have a third act depending on how you view the second act

19:48 I think there's a lot of people around the league who think that Mark Davis is just completely dysfunctional and that will come out

19:55 And it'll make Josh look a little bit better. But anyways be that as it may

20:01 As far as if if he has designs on being a head coach again, I think his best chance

20:07 It might be his only chance would be for example to go with Bill Belichick to Atlanta

20:14 He gets to run the offensive side. He gets to pick the quarterback whoever they get in the draft, whatever they do

20:21 It's his baby

20:24 Lane and I also brought up this example would say Bill goes to the Chargers. So she's that as a better example

20:30 Bill goes to the Chargers. Josh has a chance to to to to coach Justin Herbert

20:36 Let's say Bill

20:38 Bill does a great job with an older roster already a quarterback in place. They win a Super Bowl

20:43 Justin Herbert is a perennial MVP under Josh McDaniels

20:48 Bill Belichick decides it's time to hang it up in however many years three to five years

20:55 If you're the Spanos family and you have a quarterback who's on top of his game probably loves his offensive coordinator what he's done

21:03 He's gone to another level. Who's your next head coach if Bill retires? Hmm

21:07 It'd be pretty strong odds that it would be Josh McDaniels. I mean it just it just would I mean, but I'm not saying that's

21:15 I aren't glad they could bring in somebody else who just

21:18 Leaves offense to Josh and they make it worth as well that sort of thing

21:22 But if if you're Josh McDaniels, you want to have a head head coaching opportunity again

21:26 Going with Bill Belichick and being in place to succeed him at some point in time might be your best shot

21:32 You know staying here under say a Mike Vrabel

21:36 Vrabel could be here for for multiple years

21:40 Are you really is is McDaniels really gonna get another chance coming?

21:43 Sort of the same scenario as he did coming from New England to the Broncos to the Raiders

21:49 I would say the chances are a lot less. So I think that would be at play for Josh McDaniels

21:54 All right

21:54 Who do you trust more and if this puts you in an uncomfortable situation?

21:57 You don't have to answer because I know that you you have a relationship with both of these guys

22:02 And I'm not saying that you know, the relationship slants your coverage. You just have a relationship with both Bill O'Brien and Josh McDaniel

22:09 You're you're Mike Vrabel, let's say Mike Vrabel is the next head coach of the Patriots hypothetical we're having some fun here

22:19 Mike Vrabel new head coach of the Patriots

22:21 Who do you trust more with a top three quarterback?

22:25 McDaniels or O'Brien

22:28 so

22:30 Well, you know like you said I have relationships with both of these guys

22:33 I think the world of both of them both as coaches and and human beings

22:37 So, you know this this is tough for me

22:39 But you know just judging it and putting aside if I'm Mike Vrabel any personal relationships

22:45 I might have you know again remember Bill O'Brien brought Mike Vrabel to the NFL

22:51 I think I think he had been at Ohio State or no

22:54 Whatever. He worked under Bill O'Brien. Yeah in Houston. Yeah

22:58 So, I don't know what the dynamic is there would would he feel indebted to bill but you know

23:06 Tossing all of that outside and I do think I would be fine with either of these guys

23:12 Especially when you look at what Bill O'Brien did with Deshaun Watson

23:16 Basically adapting the Patriots offense to Deshaun Watson to play the best ball that he's ever played in his career

23:23 That so Bill O'Brien certainly has a strong case, but at the end of the day, it's very close for me

23:30 But I would go with Josh McDaniels. I think he just has a better track record

23:35 Look what he did with Mac Jones most recently when the offense was, you know, almost

23:40 borderline top ten

23:42 You know scored a lot of points

23:45 Just look at the Patriots offense in 2021 with a rookie quarterback and a bunch of new free agents

23:50 I would say he rebuilt that thing pretty good on the fly

23:54 So I would lean ever so slightly to Josh McDaniels, but I love Bill O'Brien as well

23:59 Would you trust if you're Robert Kraft?

24:02 Would you trust Mike Vrabel in?

24:05 The position to turn this thing around

24:09 Offensively, do you trust him with the young quarterback?

24:13 With having to overhaul that offensive side of the roster if Vrabel is at the top of the list and look my opinion. I

24:20 Think Mike Vrabel is your next head coach of the Patriots of Belichick's gone strictly opinion

24:25 I think I think this has been it. I think this has been in the works for weeks

24:32 That's my personal opinion

24:36 Certainly looks that way so and by the way, Amy Strunk

24:39 Statement on Vrabel as the NFL continues to innovate and evolve

24:43 I believe the team's best positioned for sustained success will be those who empower and aligned and collaborative team across all football

24:51 functions ie

24:52 Mike Vrabel and ran carthon don't get along too. Well

24:56 Ran, hmm. My brand wasn't Vrabel's guy Vrabel wasn't rands guy. I believe Greg Bidart told you that six or seven weeks ago

25:05 Back to the question interesting

25:07 Mm-hmm. Would you entrust because you know, we're gonna talk about the offense here for a long time next few months

25:13 Would you trust a defensive guy to do it, right? I

25:17 Would need to I definitely would need to hear his plan for offense

25:22 And and I that would be one of the first questions I asked look

25:25 We ran into this with bill you run in with this around the league with defensive head coaches now

25:31 They lose their offensive coordinator to look at what happened when you look what happened to Mac Jones most recently

25:37 Look what happened to Mac Jones when he lost his offensive coordinator and he went through three play callers in three years

25:43 Look at where he is. He's broken and that's gonna happen to just about any quarterback

25:48 outside of the occasional

25:50 Unicorn look at what has happened to Josh Allen in

25:54 Buffalo after Brian Dayball got the Giants head coach

25:58 I mean, he's been good is he as good as he was at that time? No, I don't think so

26:03 Not even close. So I would need to hear a plan from Mike on that

26:07 I understand the concerns about a defensive head coach. I have that

26:11 I just think that Mike Vrabel is so good in so many different ways that I'd be willing to overlook that

26:17 But I need to hear a plan and I think the three people that I laid out McDaniels O'Brien and Arthur Smith

26:25 Those are guys if you put in charge of the offense, I don't think they're going anywhere at any time soon

26:30 All three of them have experience as a head coach and can sort of you know help you in that almost be assistant head coaches

26:38 ideally

26:41 Because McDaniels and O'Brien are good friends if you could get McDaniels and O'Brien to coexist as sort of co

26:47 Offensive coordinators to me. That's a that's a home run at least for a while

26:52 But I I think with those three candidates, I don't think they're going anywhere anytime soon. So I would be okay with it

26:59 Is rabble enough change for you because I know fans will say what the hell here we go again

27:07 Before we get that answer

27:09 We do have to do some business quickly Greg if you can tell the fine people listening watching this podcast

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27:56 Is vrabel enough change because people will push back and go here we go again

28:02 Staying in the family you go from Belichick defensive mind. So vrabel defensive mind, etc, etc

28:09 Absolutely because here's the reason

28:14 Number one Mike vrabel. I don't think is going to ask for Belichick Ian level total control

28:21 autonomy

28:22 You know evil Empire type stuff like, you know vrabel is gonna be like I want to coach I

28:29 Want to I want to be the CEO. I'm gonna have a good defensive coordinator. Our defense is always good

28:35 I'll have a lot of input on that side of the ball. I have an offensive coordinator. He gets offense

28:39 You know what he wants bring in whoever you want as GM. I get to sign off

28:43 I want to make sure I work with this person, but I certainly have Ryan Cowden for I think that's his name or Caldron in

28:50 Tennessee as I know somebody that that vrabel thinks very highly of he comes in he runs

28:56 Personnel he can report to you if he wants, you know, I'm open to whatever so yeah, that is

29:03 You know you get you get a new voice new vision as far as personnel you get new voice new vision new staffing

29:11 Across the board especially on offense. Hell. Yeah, that's enough change for me. That is changed. That is positive

29:18 I think it would be a home run now again. Let me reiterate something. I wrote a couple weeks ago

29:23 vrabel head coach

29:26 Gerard Mayo

29:27 DC maybe even slash assistant head coach Josh McDaniels offense Billy O'Brien

29:33 whatever to me is in plus whoever they pick as personnel and who knows vrabel might have a

29:39 You know, there might be some hotshot who's who has a close relationship with and they come in as personnel

29:45 To me that is a way forward and progressive for the New England Patriots how tough of a decision

29:52 If it is a tough decision, is this for craft if he's looking at?

29:58 Mayo

30:00 versus Belichick

30:02 versus vrabel

30:06 Now it depends on where he is with

30:09 With Belichick and I you know, let's just so vrabel changes things I think a little bit

30:17 I do think going in talking to people around all sides of this going in and I wrote this for Sunday morning over at BSJ

30:23 I think craft is still very conflicted

30:26 I think that I put it at about 33% chance that Belichick was going to remain in power

30:32 I don't think bill really wants to go anywhere with what he's paid his power

30:36 Nantucket he's been here. It's a comfortable life. He's older. I

30:42 Don't like change, you know, I'm 20 years younger than him. You know, what 71 year old wants to

30:48 Wants to move in and learn all sorts of new things

30:51 so I think that I think that Belichick is going to make some sort of

30:57 Offer that includes

31:02 McDaniels personnel stuff like that. All right, fine. You want this here? Here's what I propose

31:07 I don't think it changes a whole lot of things but

31:09 To me Mayo is not a consideration. I mean if if it comes down to

31:15 Vrabel's number one for me then Belichick and then Mayo. I just don't think Mayo's ready

31:21 I would love to see him leave and come back at some point in time like a vrabel is doing right now

31:28 Who knows maybe variable flames out in five years?

31:31 but to me if

31:33 the goal should be because talking to people they think that Robert Kraft is conflicted because

31:39 He knows he has to win next year

31:42 Like a bill goes someplace else and does like a Brady like they're really good

31:46 If the Patriots can't be in rebuild mode at 4 and 13

31:51 While Tom's won a Super Bowl first year after leaving bills in the playoffs first year after leaving

31:57 Kraft's gonna look horrible

31:58 And I think that's part of that has been the calculation for craft and that he's willing to hear

32:03 Belichick out but to me with Vrabel on the market not having to give anything up for him

32:09 You know to me that is the clear number one choice if on the crafts

32:14 Before I go with my thought here because I have an overriding thought on this

32:19 Diana Rossini says the Titans believed the trading variable was too complicated

32:24 It would take too long per sources again. I think we can safely say those sources are ownership slash for office

32:31 They wanted to move on quickly. I was told the vrabel never asked ownership for a trade or

32:37 Asked out of Tennessee. Well, you don't have to ask directly if you make it

32:43 Obvious that you're unhappy. That's what I would say

32:46 There's a way to passive aggressively get your ass out of town

32:50 All right. Let's get back to vrabel here

32:54 Here's what I would say Greg I

32:56 Feel strongly about this

32:59 Mike vrabel now being a free agent makes it a thousand times easier for Robert Kraft to move on from Bill Belichick

33:06 Number one, you've got the ties in New England number two

33:11 Mike vrabel is going to get paid by Tennessee number three

33:15 You look at having to replace

33:21 Bill Belichick I

33:23 Would want the guy who's been proven that he can win football games and run a program

33:30 Instead of hiring a Ben Johnson who's been great in Detroit, but you have no idea

33:36 Promoting Mayo who's been great in his role here, but you have no idea. This gives Robert Kraft. I think a

33:44 Parachute to jump out the plane and feel much better about jumping out of that plane

33:52 So

33:54 Say that again, sorry, I'm just caught up in some news again. Oh some news again. What do we got? Well, no

34:00 It's just I'm looking at fallout from the variable stuff. So sorry. No. Oh, okay. You're doing work. I got you're on your phone

34:07 You're going on here. All right, so

34:09 my point is

34:12 Vrabel now being out there makes the thousand times easier for craft to make a move because he's got the ties in New England

34:18 He is a proven head coach that has won at a high level up until the last year or two when that roster aged out

34:25 in the quarterback situation was complete crap and

34:27 Number three he's going to get paid by Tennessee and I don't think variables gonna walk in and say hey

34:33 Give me 20 million Robert. So just the relationship grab a would you agree with that and be if?

34:40 You could give people a better idea as to how

34:44 Relationships truly matter when it comes to this kind of stuff that we're witnessing play out

34:48 Yeah, I'll answer the last thing first. I mean look I think it's huge especially when you're

34:55 Look the Patriots the reason I think Gerard Mayo was such a candidate for this for the Patriots was because the crafts are not going

35:03 to

35:03 Turn over the franchise to somebody that they don't know now. They might have done that with P Carroll

35:10 And that didn't go well Belichick they had a previous relationship they knew Vrabel basically fits

35:16 Basically everything that Belichick was when when they they traded for Belichick in terms of he had been here as a player

35:25 he had experience as a defensive coordinator and as a head coach and

35:29 Either I think the crafts are not going to turn over the family family business to an outsider

35:34 Somebody that they don't really know and just hope they're not gonna turn themselves into the Dolphins or the Jets

35:40 that's just not how they do things and I think they look at I think they look at the the Steelers and

35:45 That family and their ownership about how they've had three head coaches

35:51 You know, this would be the crafts third and hopefully Mike Vrabel is here for another

35:56 20-30 years or something like that. I think that would appeal to them

36:02 But I I agree with you that Vrabel not having to trade for Vrabel

36:07 Certainly makes it more palatable to me if I'm the crafts even though I didn't have any qualms

36:14 I have no qualms about trading a pick like a say next year's first round pick or a couple a second and third

36:21 I have no issues and and talking to more people around the league, especially

36:26 Failed GM's I've heard Dimitrov say this. I've heard Randy Mueller who I covered with the Dolphins

36:32 I've heard him say this both of them said if I could go back and do it all over again

36:38 I would have traded for a head coach

36:40 just because that ends up undoing you and so I

36:46 Think I think that I think that this would appeal to the crafts now that they don't have to give up anything for Vrabel

36:53 they can deal with not giving up anything or not getting anything return for Belichick if

36:58 If Belichick you had to if Belichick just you fired him and then you had a trade for Vrabel

37:03 Maybe that would have looked worse

37:05 but now that's completely freed up so Bill can leave on his own Vrabel can come in on his own and

37:11 To me. I think that that would be a home run in the eyes of the crafts

37:15 How much time we got left I'm asking you live here cuz I don't you I know you got fell grim as right

37:22 Probably about five to seven minutes. Okay, I'm gonna squeeze as much as we can in here. All right, okay

37:29 Power play. I know you just said oh, you know

37:32 Vrabel can kind of pitch or this could be a whole new beginning and he can have his guy come any

37:37 Concerns if if craft is willing to pull the trigger on Belichick and move on to Vrabel any concerns about Vrabel

37:44 pulling a power play here and being

37:48 Difficult when it comes to putting together the front office or you think Vrabel will be like, here's my list of guys

37:53 I'm cool with any of them

37:55 Yeah the latter, you know, I think I think Vrabel really just you know

37:59 wants to coach and game plan and coach, you know on Sundays and

38:03 Everywhere he's been he's been very amenable now, you know

38:07 I'm sure we're gonna hear things about how he's abrasive and things like that

38:10 But I just saw Derek Henry just had like some ridiculous quote about him. I heard Taylor Luan

38:17 now of podcast fame

38:19 he talked on Kay Adams about you know, how good Mike Vrabel is and and how he should be the most sought-after coach and and

38:26 You know, I I just think that I I think that Vrabel would be

38:31 You know the way to go for the Patriots and I think he'd be open to anything

38:36 I think this is if to me, you know, the crafts want their franchise back, you know

38:41 It it it it's basically Bill Belichick and they wanted more openness and is Bill really gonna do that?

38:48 That's the whole discussion with the crafts. Okay, Bill's agreeing to a GM and

38:53 Changes, but is he really gonna do it? Probably not at the end of the day, right?

38:57 but Mike Vrabel coming in would be agreeable to any everything and

39:02 You know would actually, you know give press conferences and you know things like that like to me

39:08 I just think that it would it would be the best of all worlds for the crafts

39:14 Yeah, I just feel like I don't want to speak for the fans cuz you know fan the way you want a fan

39:19 Yeah, but I just feel like this would be

39:23 More palatable for a lot of Patriots fans than a lot of the other options. We've been talking about

39:29 To look at Vrabel. They know him

39:31 Again you can look at track record and say this guy has been Bill Barnwell's, you know posting

39:38 He thinks variables one of the top six coaches in the league

39:40 Mm-hmm. It's it's difficult to come up with any negative

39:45 Regarding Mike Vrabel. I talked about it on my podcast and Nick cattle show check us out

39:50 Going back several weeks ago, you know the idea of Vrabel. I think it's very difficult to

39:56 Throw

39:59 Negatives or shade at Vrabel in a possible hiring the pros far outweigh far outweigh the cons

40:05 I think with Mike Vrabel

40:08 Did Robert Kraft perfect I'm not telling you he intentionally did it but right it could be just pure happenstance

40:16 Because the meetings continue to drag in this stuff continues to like take a while

40:20 Tennessee just said well, we didn't want to take it too long. We just wanted to you know, cut the cord did craft kind of

40:26 Again I don't want to say it was intentional

40:30 But if it was intentional geez was this a stroke of brilliance that he waited out, Tennessee

40:34 Knowing that they would pull the trigger before he pulled the trigger on Belichick

40:37 to the point that I

40:39 Look, I'm just gonna float this out there and I have no knowledge of it

40:42 But you know, and maybe they just want to move on but I do think that there's a chance

40:47 Okay, like say you're say you're Amy Adams trunk and Mike Vrabel went to this is similar to when?

40:54 Jack Easterby came back for the ring ceremony with Nick Casario and there were tampering charges

41:01 So Vrabel comes here for the Hall of Fame. He says all these nice things including we at the podium

41:08 Yep about like how we need to play better in the second half. He's in the box talking to craft the whole time

41:13 all of a sudden he and

41:16 Let's just say there were a lot of discussions behind the scenes from Vrabel's perspective about what was going on in Tennessee

41:23 Or at least I've heard

41:26 You know some rumblings about that. I don't know exactly what was said

41:31 But you put all that together and now

41:34 Vrabel quote-unquote sort of force maybe forces his way out of Tennessee

41:38 Could you see tan I could see tampering charges leveled against the Patriots?

41:43 You know similar to the Patriots put tampering charges then later withdrew them against the Texans about Nick Casario

41:49 so, you know, but I do think I

41:53 do think that

41:55 I think this is ideal that you know

41:58 Maybe the maybe the crafts were looking at this and especially the season that they're having when Vrabel was here

42:03 I don't know what the record was at the time

42:05 But that they could see this going in this direction and sort of you know, just said something like hey

42:10 You know if you're looking for you know, just keep it in mind down the road. Okay wink nod

42:16 We'll get you out with this one because you got to go

42:19 Obviously an entire planned conversation change and I love it because this is what we're here for

42:24 Bill Belichick is

42:28 He gone Greg and if he's gone, when do you think it happens?

42:31 I don't think it's a hundred percent. Maybe with the Vrabel news. My percentage goes from 33 to

42:39 18 percent I do think their discussions I

42:45 Would think and they it's definitely not gonna be done today now with the Vrabelman news that would look bad. Yeah, I would say

42:55 Thursday or Friday, I think Bill is moving on

42:58 I do think Atlanta is the best place for him at dawn on me when I was on Felger and Maz last week

43:02 People don't understand that place is out in the middle of nowhere

43:05 Flowery branch. It's a great compound

43:08 They even have like apartments behind the practice field for the players and the coaches like during training camp. It's awesome

43:14 Bill will love it. I

43:16 Think he I think at the end of all this Bill is gone sometime at the end of this week

43:22 Bill will be the Falcons head coach next season and Mike Vrabel will be the Patriots head coach next season

43:27 Man, oh man, is this offseason going to be fun?

43:31 It is going to be bananas couple things check us out over at PSJ 50 bucks for the year

43:36 But Darden Giardi, you know what the deal is there

43:37 Also this episode brought to you by FanDuel the exclusive wagering partner of the CLNS media network new customers get 150 bucks and bonus bets

43:45 Guarantee when you place a $5 bet

43:49 Have in your next stop we'll catch up with all the you later this week. It's Greg Bidard Patriots podcast with Nick cattle

43:56 (upbeat music)

Waiting on Belichick and Kraft, Mike Vrabel Fired by Titans | Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast

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