The New England Patriots surprised nobody by hiring Mike Vrabel on Sunday as the franchise’s next long-term head coach.
They quickly became the first team to hire a new head coach this offseason.
Jerod Mayo lasted just one year as Bill Belichick’s successor, and Vrabel will now take the wheel after spending this past year as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns.
On Sunday’s episode of NFL Countdown on ESPN, Rex Ryan reacted to the Pats hiring Vrabel.
He jokingly said, “Hopefully, I get to kick this guy’s a** twice a year,” which is a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that he recently interviewed to be re-hired as the head coach of the New York Jets.
Rex Ryan’s reaction to New England hiring Mike Vrabel: pic.twitter.com/gjXJ6C4cJj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 12, 2025
After joking around, Ryan called this an “outstanding hire” for the Pats and had plenty of praise for Vrabel.
The Jets are conducting a widespread coaching search, and Ryan is eager to return to the sidelines with the team he led to consecutive appearances in the AFC Championship game in the late 2000s.
This team has experienced no success since Ryan left, as his appearance in the AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2010 was the last time the team made the playoffs.
Seeing Vrabel and Ryan square off twice a year would bring new energy to an AFC East division that the Buffalo Bills have dominated in recent years.
Even though ESPN would certainly miss having Ryan on the program, having him back on the Jets sideline would be a real treat.
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