Mike Vrabel will have the task of lifting the spirits of the New England Patriots in the upcoming season. With experience both as a player and a head coach, Vrabel is stepping into a team that’s undergoing an internal cleanup. The franchise is parting ways with three coaches and assistants who will no longer be with the team in 2025.
According to Mike Reiss, the Patriots will not retain three offensive coaches for next season. Bob Bicknell, who was in charge of the tight ends, is out, along with Taylor Embree, who had recently overseen the running backs. A notable change also includes Tyler Hughes, the wide receivers coach, signaling a deeper shift in that area.
But it’s not just coaches being let go. Reiss also reported that two assistants won’t be joining Vrabel’s staff in 2025: Keith Jones and assistant wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood. These moves, alongside the coaching changes, are part of an effort to refine the strategy and improve performance for next season.
Tiquan Underwood, who was a player for the Patriots in 2011, only had one season working with the franchise alongside Jerod Mayo. That was his second season in the NFL, after spending 2019 with the Dolphins as an offensive quality control coach.
Does Mike Vrabel Make the Decisions on Firing Coaches?
Not entirely. While Vrabel may have input, the decisions are made collectively with other members of the franchise. They review which areas were the least productive during the previous season and identify which coaches might need to go. For example, Embree’s running backs unit produced only 8 touchdowns in 2024.
Surprising Departure of Bob Bicknell
Bicknell, the tight ends coach, oversaw a fairly productive season for the position group in 2024, with Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper as standout performers. Henry posted 66 receptions, 674 yards, and 2 touchdowns, while Hooper recorded 45 receptions, 476 yards, and 3 touchdowns. Both players were among the top producers for the Patriots, alongside the team’s top wide receivers.