New England hires former Patriots Super Bowl champ Mike Vrabel as its next coach

By KYLE HIGHTOWER

The New England Patriots have hired Mike Vrabel as their next head coach.

The team announced the hiring Sunday morning. It comes a week after Patriots owner Robert Kraft fired Jerod Mayo after the team’s season finale victory over the Buffalo Bills to finish 4-13 in his lone season as coach.

Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson also interviewed for the job.