An NFL insider believes the Patriots are ignoring the Rooney Rule in their pursuit of Mike Vrabel as their next head coach.

Days after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft confirmed he had fired first-year head coach Jerod Mayo following the club's 4-13 season, New England somewhat surprisingly interviewed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton for the job even though neither man has held an NFL coaching position since the 2022 season.

Mike Vrabel reportedly used insterest from AFC East rivals the New York Jets to pressure the New England Patriots to pursue him as head coach.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel visited the New York Jets over the weekend, and it could have been in part to put pressure on the New England Patriots, according to CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala.

Robert Kraft has already satisfied the Rooney Rule by interviewing Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich in person, meaning the Patriots are the first of the six teams with a head-coaching vacancy who can make a hire.

"It looks like a sham. I mean, I'll call it what I think it is." The post NFL insider accuses Patriots of ‘sham’ interviews with minority head coach candidates appeared first on Boston.com.

As expected, the New England Patriots will interview Mike Vrabel for their head-coaching vacancy this week. He'll be in Foxboro to talk to the team on Thursday, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.

The New England Patriots have reportedly interviewed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton for their vacant head coaching job.

The Patriots have requested to speak to a fifth head coaching candidate. The team put in a request to interview Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, sources told Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.