The Athletic’s Chad Graff shared an on-the-record conversation he had with New England Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft, where Kraft said that new Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was the first choice of head coach Mike Vrabel.

Robert Kraft claimed that Mike Vrabel brought up the idea of hiring Josh McDaniels during his head coach interview. Read more on Boston.com.

NEW ORLEANS — Patriots owner Robert Kraft sounds bullish about the tandem of coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels returning to New England.

The New England Patriots brought back Josh McDaniels as the team's offensive coordinator under new head coach Mike Vrabel. McDaniels, who previously served as New England's offensive coordinator from 2006 to '08 and 2012 to 2021, was a coach Vrabel immediately knew he wanted on his staff in New England.

Former New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe shared his take on the Patriots' decision to hire Mike Vrabel as the new head coach.

In Tennessee, Mike Vrabel utilized smaller, more athletic linebackers in his defense. With Terrell Williams coming in as the Patriots new defensive coordinator, we’re about to see a change in scheme and that means a change in the size of linebackers.

And when asking Patriots owner Robert Kraft, the decision to bring back McDaniels was one spearheaded by Coach Vrabel –– as he voiced in his interview during Super Bowl week with The Athletic's Chad Graff.