The Raiders felt like another potential fit for Vrabel after firing head coach Antonio Pierce, given Vrabel’s evident ties with Las Vegas minority owner Tom Brady.

The Raiders didn’t simply forget to interview Mike Vrabel before he landed with the Patriots. Vrabel told his former Patriots teammate Tom Brady — who owns a minority stake in the Raiders — that he probably was going to end up back in New England, according to an NFL Network report.

It was widely believed even before the Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with head coach Antonio Pierce that Raiders minority owner Tom Brady could target former New England Patriots teammate Mike Vrabel for the job.