Former NFL GM Rod Graves criticized the Patriots' usage of the Rooney Rule by interviewing two black candidates before hiring Mike Vrabel.

The Patriots turned to Vrabel after their quick coaching search wrapped up just seven days after the team fired Jerod Mayo.

Former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was in the Patriots’ organization with Vrabel from 2001 to 2008, is considered a candidate for the job. It would be McDaniels’ third go-around with the title.

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.

The Patriots hurried a coaching search and hired one of their former Super Bowl-winning linebackers to right the wayward franchise. Don’t stop if you’ve heard this before. Yes, it happened last year,

Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel interviewed with the New England Patriots for the team's head coach opening, the Patriots announced Thursday.

Breer directly noted the Patriots could've run "a sham interview process" simply because they are "desperate" to get to Vrabel, who has attracted interest from several other clubs and could be hired at any time. Additionally, Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz accused the Patriots of "blatantly" sidestepping the Rooney Rule:

Mike Vrabel is returning to Foxboro to be the 16th head coach ... former Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich and ex-Houston Texans OC Pep Hamilton -- before hiring Vrabel. Tune into NBC Sports Boston's Sports Sunday at 11:30 p.m. ET as Phil Perry ...

Former NFL quarterback and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks' vacant offensive

The Rooney Rule is an NFL policy that requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. The rule was created to help coaches who are minorities but ESPN’s Ryan Clark isn’t convinced it’s effective.

Byron Leftwich, a former NFL quarterback, two-time Super Bowl winner and recently Tom Brady’s offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, interviewed for the same job with the Seahawks recently. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones reported that Friday.