The New England Patriots find themselves in unfamiliar territory over the last 24 seasons. After mutually agreeing to part ways with Bill Belichick, they are now in a position where they have a vacancy for a new head coach.
Finding a succession plan for Belichick, who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in NFL history, won’t be easy. Even if the team did fall off a cliff after the Tom Brady era, an argument could be made that things would have looked even worse with a lesser coach.
Belichick’s decision-making as a de facto general manager ultimately led to his undoing in New England more so than his coaching ability. Under his watch, the Patriots still had one of the best defenses in football, and they showed fight against significantly more talented teams.
But a 4-13 finish obviously wasn’t going to cut it.
The Patriots are looking to throw a fresh coat of paint on the franchise and get back to being a perennial contender. Here are seven coaching candidates to keep an eye on as potential replacements for Belichick:
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Jerod Mayo makes the most sense as an in-house option to succeed Bill Belichick. He passed on a coaching interview with the Carolina Panthers last offseason to remain in New England. Why would he do that if there weren’t any hints at the possibility of him taking over as head coach once Belichick stepped away?
Mayo already has a working relationship with the current players on the roster, and this isn’t a move that would be viewed as rocking the boat with a completely new coach. It would also pay homage to Belichick by turning the mantle over to a man that has studied underneath him both as a player and coach.

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Mike Vrabel instantly became the hottest coach on the market the moment the Tennessee Titans fired him. His deep ties with the Patriots organization are noted, and it would make sense for the team to explore the possibility of a reunion.
Vrabel is perceived as a players coach, which is a change-up from Belichick’s hard-nosed, old school approach. He also has more experience than Jerod Mayo at the job. That could prove to be too enticing for owner Robert Kraft to pass up in his search for a new coach.

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The Patriots have been doing the same song and dance with defensive-minded head coaches for decades. They could finally decide to wipe off the dust and…
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