Bears lose HC candidate as Mike Vrabel signs with Patriots

One of the top candidates for the Chicago Bears' head coaching job is off the board before the NFL's Wild Card round is finished.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who served as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns this season, agreed to terms with the New England Patriots to become their next head coach, according to multiple insiders.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowl championships with the Patriots and spent eight of his 14 career seasons in New England under Belichick, agreed to become the 16th head coach in franchise history. The announcement came early Sunday morning, but it wasn't without a push from others, including the Bears. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported that both Chicago and New York Jets made late pushes before Vrabel agreed to his New England homecoming.

Terms and conditions of Vrabel's contract were not disclosed, but ESPN's Adam Schefter did note that Vrabel becomes the seventh coach in NFL history to become the head coach of a team he won the Super Bowl with as a player.

With Vrabel off the board, there are five NFL head coach vacancies, with the Bears, Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, and New Orleans Saints still searching. All attention for Chicago should turn to Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who has been the hottest and most discussed name for the job outside of Vrabel.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Bears lose HC candidate as Mike Vrabel signs with Patriots