The New England Patriots will have a familiar face running the helm of the franchise.

The Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, who played for the team from 2001 – 2008, as their new head coach earlier this year after parting ways with Jerod Mayo.

Former New England receiver Deion Branch appeared on the “Up and Adams Show” this week and mentioned why he believes Vrabel makes a good fit with the team.

“I think [Mike] Vrabel is way connected to these younger men nowadays and I think that is probably what the difference is,” Branch said on the show. “By bringing in a guy like Mike Vrabel… a very hard-working man. Someone who is a player’s coach, but a disciplinary guy who’s going to instill and impact the game his way.”

Branch and Vrabel were teammates in New England from 2003 – 2005 and won two Super Bowls together.

Deion Branch Believes Jerod Mayo Needed More Time

When the New England Patriots hired Jerod Mayo to succeed six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick, hopes were high.

Robert Kraft said during Mayo’s introductory press conference that he was “the right person to be the next head coach of the New England Patriots.”

Deion Branch said he believes that Mayo is also a players’ coach, similar to Vrabel. And mentioned that Mayo, being a younger and inexperienced head coach, could be part of the reason why the Patriots moved to a new coach.

In his only season at the helm of the Patriots, Mayo led the team to a 4-13 record. Tied for the same record Belichick had in his last season with New England.

“I don’t think that Jerod got a fair shot,” Branch said. “I wish that he probably had a little more time, but that is the direction Mr. Kraft and the organization decided to move.”

The Patriots’ owner believes that Mayo has all the tools to become a successful head coach in the league, but emphasized that “he needed more time before taking the job.”

New Patriots Receiver Shares Same Thought

The New England Patriots spent over $200 million in the 2025 free agency. Including signing former Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal.

During Diggs’ introductory press conference, he also mentioned Vrabel being a “players’ coach” and was part of the reason why he decided to sign with New England.

“Player coaches know that out there, you can make plays… How you see things can be different when you were once a player. He was a big draw for me,” Diggs said. “Seeing that he played the game of football and how well he played the game of football. That means he played with a standard. Playing with some moxy. He had that energy.”

Mike Vrabel and the Patriots will attempt to get their first winning season post-Bill Belichick era.