NEW ORLEANS — If only Mike Vrabel knew what A.J. Brown was actually writing in his notebook. The newly hired Patriots head coach and the Eagles receiver have a tight bond nowadays, but when Vrabel’s Titans drafted Brown with a second-round pick in 2019, it wasn’t all smooth sailing during team meetings.

New Patriots coach Mike Vrabel's coaching staff will have several familiar faces from his time with the Tennessee Titans. Of the 26 members of the staff announced by New England on Wednesday, 11 worked with Vrabel during his six-year tenure in Tennessee from 2018 to 2023.

Mike Vrabel’s first staff as head coach of the New England Patriots is loaded with ties to his days leading the Titans. Among the 22-person coaching staff announced Wednesday by the Patriots, nine served in some capacity under Vrabel in Tennessee.