The Patriots interviewed Mike Vrabel for their head-coaching vacancy Thursday, the team announced.

Vrabel is the third candidate to meet with the team, following former NFL coordinators Byron Leftwich and Pep Hamilton on Tuesday. He is considered the front-runner for the Patriots’ job, which multiple league sources expect him to land. He has previously interviewed with the Jets and Bears.

Per league rules, the Patriots and Vrabel can reach an agreement at any time because the team has satisfied the Rooney Rule in the interview process and Vrabel is not currently employed by an NFL team.  The Rooney Rule states franchises with head-coaching vacancies must conduct at least two in-person interviews with minority and/or female candidates, which the Patriots did Tuesday by interviewing Leftwich and Hamilton.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft declined to speak specifically about Vrabel’s candidacy on Monday during a press conference that followed his firing of former coach Jerod Mayo.

“Before I make a comment like that,” Kraft began, “I don’t know all the people involved, and there are some wonderful people that we’ve heard about. So, I’d rather respond to that after I’ve seen everyone.”

As the Titans’ head coach, Vrabel posted a 54-45 record from 2018-2023. He led Tennessee to the playoffs three times, including as the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021 and an AFC Championship Game appearance during the 2019 season. Vrabel finished his last two Titans seasons with a combined record of 13-21, and rookie Will Levis and journeyman veteran Ryan Tannehill at quarterback. This season, he returned to his native Ohio and worked as a consultant for the Browns.

Prior to taking the Tennessee job, Vrabel served as the Texans’ defensive coordinator in 2017, Houston’s linebackers coach from 2014-2016 and a defensive assistant at Ohio State for three years. He played 14 seasons in the NFL, including an eight-year run in New England that included three Super Bowl titles. Last year, Vrabel was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame.

“I don’t want you to take this organization for granted,” Vrabel told Patriots fans during a midseason ceremony last year. “I’ve been a lot of places. This is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, and great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.”

The Patriots’ only other scheduled interview is a virtual meeting with Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson on Friday. Johnson, another leading candidate this cycle, cannot meet with teams in person until three days after his season ends. Detroit is currently enjoying a first-round bye. He also has a virtual interview scheduled Friday with Las Vegas and Saturday meetings with the Bears and Jaguars.

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Report: Patriots to interview Mike Vrabel for head-coaching job Thursday

Johnson interviewed for multiple head-coaching jobs last year, then opted to return to Detroit where the Lions clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC last weekend. Under Johnson’s leadership, Detroit finished first in the league in scoring after ranking fifth in 2023.

Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022, after three seasons as a lower-level assistant on the Lions’ staff. He originally entered the coaching ranks at Boston College as a graduate assistant in 2009. Johnson joined the NFL in 2012 with Miami, where he coached quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends through the 2018 season. The next year, he left to become an offensive quality control coach in Detroit.

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, whom the team requested an interview with Wednesday, reportedly has declined to meet with the Patriots. Glenn will meet with the five other teams looking to fill a head-coaching vacancy this offseason.