4 Jerod Mayo replacements that can lead Drake Maye, Patriots to the playoffs

On Sunday in Week 18, Jerod Mayo led the New England Patriots to their fourth win of the season. Unfortunately, it was absolutely the worst time for the win to come as it cost the Pats the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, moving them down to fourth. While it might not be related, it feels mighty coincidental that just hours after the regular-season finale, Mayo was fired.

It had been uncertain for weeks whether or not the Patriots would ultimately pull the trigger and relieve Mayo of his duties, though fans certainly wanted that to be the case. He looked over his skis for much of the season and handled numerous points of turmoil with a lot to be desired. And for a franchise that has so much promise after drafting Drake Maye last April, that was never going to cut it.

But now the Patriots will start a head coaching search to replace Jerod Mayo. New England actually has an attractive situation they could sell too. Maye has already looked the part of a franchise quarterback, the team is armed with a ton of cap space to spend in free agency and, even if it's not No. 1, they have a Top 5 pick in the draft.

Which head coaching candidates should the Patriots have their sights on to replace Mayo, though? You won't find four better options than these.

4. Brian Flores is one option New England could tab to return

Before he left to be the then-head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Patriots fans will obviously remember Brian Flores as the defensive coordinator and mastermind behind four Super Bowl titles. And in case you needed to know, he hasn't lost that ability. He's taken a Minnesota Vikings defense that many questioned the talent of and has helped to make them one of the best units on that side of the ball in the league, a driving force behind their run to compete atop the NFC as a surprise this year.

Flores comes with his set of complications given the lawsuits he's filed against NFL owners and the implications of that. If ever there was an owner to not care about that if it meant winning, though, it would absolutely be Robert Kraft (or Jerry Jones, but you see my point). Flores understands the Patriot Way and the culture that succeeds in Foxborough. Bringing him in to fix the defense and hire an exciting offensive mind to work with Drake Maye would be a worthwhile venture.

I would hesitate to call Flores the top choice for New England. At the same time, it would be a decision that every Patriots fan should be happy with.

3. Steve Sarkisian is a risk the Patriots should be willing to take

Sometimes, you have to risk it to get the biscuit. This head coaching search to replace Mayo could be the time for the Patriots to try and get their biscuit and maybe some gravy on top of it as well. Steve Sarkisian, the current head coach of the Texas Longhorns, could be the candidate to qualify as that. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that there could be interest in the Texas head coach, who spent time as the Falcons offensive coordinator in 2017-18, in this year's carousel.

It remains to be seen whether or not Sarkisian would leave the Arch Manning era in Austin before it ever really begins. But Sarkisian checks two major boxes for what the Patriots should be looking for. First, he's known for his ability to develop quarterbacks, which would obviously be of benefit to Maye and thus the future of New England. On top of that, he's a stark change from what we've seen in New England as one of the most respected offensive minds in football.

Given that Sarkisian has never been a head coach at the NFL level, there's risk involved. But the reasons that he could be a home-run for the Pats are quite evident.

2. Ben Johnson coaching Drake Maye would be an absolute dream

For more than a month now, it's seemed almost like a formality that current Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is going to end up being the next head coach of the Chicago Bears. While he's one of the hottest coaching candidates in the carousel, that was the case last year too. Johnson has indicated he'll be incredibly selective about what head coaching job he's going to take. So with the opportunity to coach Caleb Williams in Chicago, you can understand the appeal.

The same appeal, however, should also exist with Drake Maye. In fact, given the highs that Maye showed in relation to how the season ended for Williams and the Bears, you could make the argument that the Patriots with Maye are a more attractive situation. New England has more roster flexibility for Johnson to help build in the mold he desires than he would in Chicago and a young quarterback who arguably showed more as a rookie.

Johnson is going to be the apple of the NFL's eye overall this offseason but the Patriots, after ousting Mayo, have the opportunity to throw their hat into the ring with the situation they could offer to the Lions OC.

1. Mike Vrabel remains the perfect Patriots head coach

This is the obvious one for New England. Reports even well before Mayo was let go indicated that Mike Vrabel, who obviously won three Super Bowls as a player with the Patriots, would be highly interested in coming back to Foxborough after being ousted (perhaps unwisely) by the Titans following the 2023 season and then spending this past year as a consultant with the Browns.

But Vrabel is what Robert Kraft and the Patriots brass seemed to believe that Mayo was — only he actually has the resumé to back that up. He understands the idiosyncracies of coaching in New England better than most but also has proven that he's a culture builder who knows how to hire the right staff, knows how to get the most from his defense, and knows how to win games, even leading Tennessee to an AFC Championship Game.

With Maye, a boatload of free agency cap room to spend, and a Top 5 pick in the draft, Vrabel could orchestrate a quick turnaround with this franchise — and would be proud to do so to further instill his legacy with the Patriots.