A coaching journey he needed to take, and the former star linebacker uniquely suited to put a faltering franchise back on track.

As a former player, coach Mike Vrabel always had connections to the New England Patriots organization, and that was probably enough to get him a coaching job with the team earlier. However, he felt a need to leave New England and build his own path to an eventual

Here's a look back at Mike Vrabel’s Patriots playing career, from defensive dominance to Super Bowl scores. Read more on Boston.com.