FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Former New England Patriots linebacker and current Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel is the latest addition to the Patriots Hall of Fame.
Vrabel became the hall’s 34th inductee after fans casted their vote, the team announced Wednesday.
The 47 year old was among three finalists up for the honor, which included former offensive lineman Logan Mankins and former head coach Bill Parcells.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Vrabel originally started his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being drafted out of Ohio State in 1997.
Joining the Patriots as a free agent in 2001, he was part of the team that beat the then-St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, securing the franchise’s first-ever NFL championship.
He was part of two more championship-winning seasons before being traded to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009, retiring at the end of the 2010 season before starting his coaching career as a linebackers coach at Ohio State in 2011.
Vrabel was later hired as a linebackers coach, then defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans before becoming head coach of the Titans in 2018, winning an NFL Coach of the Year award in 2021.
In his induction announcement on Wednesday, the Patriots referred to him as “one of the most versatile linebackers and best free agent signings in team history.”
“It’s my pleasure to announce Mike Vrabel as this year’s selection to the Patriots Hall of Fame,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “Mike’s leadership and versatility were principal to one of the most successful eras in franchise history, propelling the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles in four years and establishing multiple NFL records for consecutive-game win streaks.”
A date and time for the 2023 Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony have not yet been announced.
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