Former Titans DB Makes Case For Mike Vrabel Hire

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has people in his corner.

Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel heads off the field after beating the Jacksonville Jaguars – and knocking them out of the playoffs – after their game at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel could get back in the rotation for this cycle, and a one-time player of his is coming to his defense.

Former Titans defensive back Logan Ryan played under Vrabel from 2018-19, and he believes that the former Tennessee coach should be back on the sidelines this year.

“I feel like that job can only go to a certain amount of people. Vrabel just checks all of those boxes for that job in terms of just leadership,” Ryan said via MassLive reporter Karen Guregian. “He’s been there, he understands what it means to the fans, he understands how to handle the expectations and he’s a leader of men.

“He’s exactly how he was as a player, as a coach. A great leader of men in the locker room. Very demanding, but it’s nothing he doesn’t demand of himself.”

Vrabel, 49, was hired by the Titans in 2018 after spending three years with the AFC South rival Houston Texans as a linebackers coach under Bill O'Brien and one year as the team's defensive coordinator. He also has 14 years of experience in the NFL as a linebacker, so his time in the league is well-documented.

When he came to the Titans, Vrabel had a winning season in each of his first four years with the organization, and that is ultimately the measuring stick for how long coaches stay afloat in the NFL, and someone who will do what it takes to get the job done is always appreciated.

“If you win, guys appreciate it," Ryan said. "For me, I never played for a good coach that didn’t challenge players. I can’t think of one in my career, and I’ve been to a lot of different playoffs and a lot of different teams. The reality is, if you’re not willing to play good football, are you being held accountable? The lack of accountability ruins teams, it ruins locker rooms.”

Vrabel is viewed as a candidate for the vacant head coaching jobs with the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, among others.

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