Unfortunately for the New England Patriots, the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal got uglier with more information emerging on Thursday hours before the 2026 NFL Draft. Now that the controversy is picking up steam, people are beginning to question how this has been handled and where the Patriots go from here.
If the disgraced coach ends up getting let go or resigning in the aftermath of this scandal, who could New England hire to replace him?
Mike Vrabel’s Days May Be Numbered With the Patriots
Photos surfaced of Vrabel and Russini at a bar from six years ago, where Vrabel appears to be attempting to kiss the former NFL reporter at ESPN and The Athletic.
It was already announced that New England’s head coach would miss Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft to enter counseling, but it now appears the team might have been trying to get out ahead of the news they knew was coming.
Calls for Vrabel’s job and speculation about the damage this scandal could do to the relationship with the Patriots organization are growing, as Russini has already resigned from The Athletic.
Could Brian Flores Replace Mike Vrabel as the Patriots Head Coach?
It was a bit surprising that Brian Flores didn’t get a coaching job this cycle. He’d certainly be one of the Patriots’ first calls if they had a surprise opening this summer.
Of course, Flores was with the Patriots and Bill Belichick from 2004 through 2018, which earned him the head coaching job with the Miami Dolphins in 2019. Though Flores’ turbulent relationship with Tua Tagovailoa undid his tenure in South Beach, the defensive mastermind’s brand has been on the mend as Kevin O’Connell’s defensive coordinator in Minnesota each of the last three seasons.
Flores has guided the Vikings to a top-five score in PFSN’s Defensive Impact (DEFi) each of the last two seasons. He’d be a qualified candidate to help New England put the Vrabel mess behind it.
Will Josh McDaniels Return to the Patriots?
Would the third time be the charm for Josh McDaniels?
Of course, this would be McDaniels’ first lead gig with the team that has represented all the success on his NFL coaching resume. He’s on his third stint with the Patriots after successful tenures as an assistant coach from 2001 to 2008 and from 2012 to 2021, which led to head coaching jobs with the Broncos and Raiders, respectively.
Those were a disaster. McDaniels was fired in disgrace with a 20-33 combined record.
It must be said that if there was any team in the league that would even consider giving McDaniels a third crack at being the head honcho, it would be a Patriots team with which he’s been extremely successful.
While Vrabel deserves some credit, Drake Maye’s sophomore leap had his fingerprints all over it.
Matt Patricia: A Sleeper Candidate for New England
A sleeper in the mix could be another ex-Patriots coach.
Matt Patricia was an assistant coach from 2004 to 2017, during which he earned the head coaching job in Detroit. Within a very different era of Lions football, Patricia went 13-29-1 in Motown before being canned in 2020.
He returned to the Patriots in 2021 at the end of Belichick’s tenure, which marked another disastrous chapter of his career, perhaps not of his own doing, though. Belichick tasked him with an offensive role and the development of a young quarterback, Mac Jones. Needless to say, he failed epically on the wrong side of the ball.
After a stint in Philadelphia, Patricia has guided one of college football’s best defenses at Ohio State. He’s well-regarded for his ability to disguise coverages in college, and up to eight Buckeyes could be drafted from his defensive side in the coming days.
Flores might be scorned for having been passed over for the Patriots’ job in 2024. If they’re not sure on McDaniels’ promotion, a Patricia-McDaniels pairing would make a lot of sense.
