Tom Brady should be furious at Raiders after embarrassing whiff on Mike Vrabel

The first big domino of the NFL coaching carousel fell on Sunday, as the New England Patriots finally put an end to their week-long charade and agreed to a deal with former defensive standout Mike Vrabel.

From pretty much the moment New England made the shocking decision to move on from Jerod Mayo after just one year, a decision made just hours after the team's season ended last Sunday, it seemed like owner Robert Kraft was laser-focused on bringing Vrabel back home. But the Patriots weren't the only team that had eyes on the former Tennessee Titans coach; heck, they weren't even the only team that featured a New England legend in the front office.

And yet, while the Patriots were willing to move heaven and Earth to get their guy, the Las Vegas Raiders ... couldn't even get an interview, despite new minority owner Tom Brady. It's a shocking whiff, one that should have Brady furious with how the team has handled the end of a miserable season — and show just how uphill a battle it'll be to bring some competence to a deeply dysfunctional organization.

Did Antonio Pierce indecision cost Raiders a shot at Mike Vrabel?

Everything the Patriots did over the past few days, the Raiders have done the opposite. While New England didn't even wait until Black Monday to move on from Mayo — despite how difficult that decision clearly was for Kraft — Vegas didn't pull the trigger on firing Antonio Pierce until Tuesday, even letting him go through a year-end press conference in which he expressed confidence that he would be back in 2025.

One franchise knew what it wanted and acted fast. The other couldn't make up its mind, despite being out of contention for the last two months. The result? By the time the Raiders got their coaching search in gear, it was too late: According to NFL Network, Vegas didn't even bother asking Vrabel for an interview because he'd already told Brady that his sights were set on New England.

Maybe there was really nothing the Raiders could've done. Maybe Vrabel has that much respect for New England, and Drake Maye plus a top-four pick is too juicy an opportunity to turn down. But on paper at least, Vegas has plenty to offer in its own right, from a desirable warm-weather market to an owner who isn't afraid to spend some money, and there's no immediately apparent reason why Vrabel wouldn't at least hear them out.

Of course, "on paper" elides what's made this franchise a laughing stock for the better part of the 21st century: The decision-making at the top has been abysmal for decades now, and while Brady's presence is a step in the right direction, he has a lot of work left to do.