A week ago, after the New England Patriots had fired head coach Jerod Mayo and were swiftly moving though their paces to get to Mike Vrabel, two league sources close to Vrabel — who’d each shared time with him in a prior franchise — laid out the punch list he’d prepared as he went through the interview process.
A tight bond with an NFL team owner he can completely trust.
A general manager who understands the player he covets mentally and physically.
The capacity of both to withstand the pain and effort to meaningfully shape a team’s culture and locker room.