FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Brown's story: One of the keys to the Patriots' return to prominence has been coaching.
Mike Vrabel has built a staff filled with former head coaches, coordinators and up-and-coming teachers whose acumen, attention to detail and experience have sparked a quicker-than-expected turnaround.
Passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown is a significant part of that, which has been a coup for the franchise while also spotlighting a hot-button NFL topic: In an offseason with 10 head coaching vacancies, none were filled by a Black candidate.
"It's a very complex conversation, something that has been a consistent dialogue almost every single year. To say it's frustrating in some ways is probably an understatement," said the 40-year-old Brown, who returns to New England for his second season as a top aide under coordinator Josh McDaniels while working closest with veteran Hunter Henry and 2026 third-round pick Eli Raridon of Notre Dame.
"I've constantly heard this mantra the last six years in the NFL that people hire the most qualified candidates, which I hope is true and accurate. But you're also seeing almost every time that is never a Black coach. Which is frustrating. I've also heard the phrase 'there's not many candidates in the pipeline to choose from.' I do take issue with that, because I've been around some high-level great communicators, great connectors of people, at every stop I've been."
Of the NFL's 32 teams, Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans) and Aaron Glenn (New York Jets) are the lone Black head coaches.