Giardi: Mike's Musings on the coaching search, and another example of why Vrabel is the right guy going forward

I don't drink coffee often, but I'm ingesting all the caffeine this week. It's not working. Send help.

Here's what I've learned from talking to league sources over the last few days about the Patriots, their coaching search, and the future.

- There's plenty of eye-rolling about the Pats' process of finding their next head coach. The interviews of Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich were "unserious," per one league exec, and another believed they "did a solid" to the agents while also quickly fulfilling the Rooney Rule. As for Wednesday's reported request for Lions DC Aaron Glenn, there's a belief that this is a "CYA (Cover your ass)" maneuver by the Pats after catching some grief in league circles and from consequential media types. "We know how sensitive Robert (Kraft) is. This also wouldn't be the first time the league office told a team to slow things down, even if they end up with the same result."

- You've probably seen Josh McDaniels' name come up quite a bit, especially over the last few days (Bedard has been on this). Ownership wants a proven play-caller/quarterback coach to oversee Drake Maye's growth, and they have great comfort with and an affinity for McDaniels. As a two-time failed head coach, there's zero fear that McDaniels will succeed as the OC and parlay that into another HC opportunity, meaning he and Maye can grow together. 

There is the question about the differing approach/style that McDaniels will bring versus what Alex Van Pelt did. "Alex has a gentler touch. Josh can be abrasive. They better be sure that's something the QB is good with," said a source with knowledge of both coaches.

- Should Vrabel get the job, Shane Bowen is a name to watch in the coming days/weeks. The Giants defensive coordinator is on the hot seat, and it wouldn't be surprising if New York owner John Mara pressures Brian Daboll to make a change.

Bowen was Vrabel's outside linebackers coach from 2018-20 and became his DC from 2021 through the 2023-24 season. (though he actually called plays in 2020 but without the title. Very Belichick-ian). Vrabel brought in veteran DC Jim Schwartz to help groom Bowen for the role. His units were 6th, 3rd, and 17th in third-down success and first in red zone defense in his final season there after being top 15 the previous two. They were also 1st, 2nd, and 13th in run defense over that time. I like to call that the anti-DeMarcus Covington.

The two men are close, as are their wives. 

- Other assistants with ties to Vrabel that could be available: Bears assistant OL coach Jason Houghtaling, Jets RB coach Tony Dews, Jets interim OC Todd Downing (was Vrabel's TE coach in 2019 and 2020, then the OC in 2021 and 22), Jets OL coach Keith Carter (not a player favorite FWIW), Raiders TE coach Luke Steckel, Lions DL coach/run game coordinator Terrell Williams (as a potential DC candidate), Giants defensive assistant Zak Kuhr (spent 3 years in Tenn, then joined Bowen).

- Continuing to dig into Ben Johnson. His interest in New England is genuine, evident by his scheduled virtual interview with the team (he told the Jets not to bother, for instance). He has coached several positions on his coaching journey, from quarterbacks to receivers to tight ends, so he has a good sense for differing personalities. 

"Dan (Campbell) oversees everything in that building, but Ben runs that offense from top to bottom," said a source. "You never truly know if a coach can make the leap from coordinator to head coach, but he's got as good a chance as any." 

A couple important Lions players certainly vouch for him.

"He's not afraid to coach me and coach me hard, and that's what I crave," said Jared Goff earlier this year. "I love being coached hard, and I love getting feedback. He wants me to be great as much as I want to be great, and it's fun to play for a guy like that."

"The way he's explaining the plays, the way he's detailed with how we've got to run these routes in the red zone, I just knew the way he was talking to us, it just felt different," said Amon-Ra St. Brown. "I told one of my teammates... I was like, 'Bro, when Ben gets up there, he knows exactly what he's talking about;' he's telling us what he sees in this play, what he wants us to do. There's no gray area. It's super detailed."

- There's one story that I didn't include in Wednesday's piece on why former Titans center Ben Jones is so pro-Vrabel. It's a moment that's seared into my brain, and in talking to Jones, his as well. 

Tennessee was playing a game against Indianapolis in late October of 2022. It was a crucial divisional contest. Jones was playing with a high ankle sprain and torn ligaments in his knee, and, to raise the degree of difficulty, he had the stomach flu and was up all night getting IVs from the training staff.

"I kept an IV in my arm the whole game because I kept throwing up on the sideline, and he was trying to take me out," Jones told me. "Because he's like, 'Hey, we got this game in the bag.' I was like, 'Man, this is four-minute football.' I have a lot of young kids on this "O" line - if I came out now, what am I teaching them? My gut thing is we're the toughest, the baddest o line in the league. If their leader comes out, how does that look on me? He's like, fine, you got it... and we ended the game on our terms."

When the game was over, a 19-10 win, Vrabel did what he always does, waiting in the tunnel to greet his players. But when Jones approached him, the head coach hugged him emotionally. 

Of the moment, Vrabel said, "That'll stay between me and Ben. You come to work every day, you're here a lot of hours, and you get a lot of respect for guys the way they are as people. The way they are as teammates and players, and parents and husbands. To be able to see what it means to these guys, it's not just another game, it's not just a paycheck. I just really appreciate what they do."