Former Titans HC Mike Vrabel Could Get Second Shot

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel isn't done chasing his opportunity in the NFL.

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

The Tennessee Titans shocked the NFL world at the end of last season when they parted ways with head coach Mike Vrabel. It was even more shocking when he wasn't hired as one of the many vacant head coach positions, but he may look to return as a head coach at some point.

Vrabel played in the NFL from 1997-2010, won three Super Bowls, and made an All-Pro 1st team and a Pro-Bowl. Immediately after retiring, Vrabel was brought in as Ohio State University's linebackers coach. He then served as the team's defensive line coach from 2012-2013.

Vrabel made his way back to the NFL when he served as the Houston Texans linebacker coach from 2014-2016 and then was promoted to defensive coordinator the following year.

The Titans poached Vrabel from their division-rival Texans and made him their head coach in 2018. Funny enough his first career win as head coach came week 2 against Houston with a score of 20-17. In week 10 Vrabel and the Titans defeated Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, 34-10.

In his first season the Titans defense improved from the 17th to the 8th ranked, and they finished with a 9-7 record, just missing the playoffs.

Vrabel's highs were pretty high and lows were pretty low. In 2019 the Titans finished with a 9-7 record again but made it all the way to the AFC Championship game, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs. That was the peak of his time in Tennessee though as the next two years the Titans still made the playoffs, but were first-round exits.

The past two years the Titans finished 7-10 and 6-11 respectively, leading to Vrabel's relinquishment of his duties.

"I would say nothing surprises me in the National Football League," Vrabel told ESPN. "That's part of the job. It's disappointing that you couldn't do the job the way that they wanted it or envisioned it."

Vrabel interviewed with the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers for their head coaching roles, but wasn't hired. Many sources believed he didn't actually want to be a head coach again so soon.

After not being hired as a coach, Vrabel signed as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns under reigning 2x Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski and reigning Assistant Coach of the Year Jim Schwartz as Cleveland's defensive coordinator.

Vrabel could return as a head coach one day though, and further learning under great coaches like Stefanski and Schwartz could certainly help and re-lit that fire under him.

"At the right time," Vrabel said. "There's a time and place for that. It's not going to be anytime soon. So, I think the things that I'll ultimately learn here may help me the next time that I get an opportunity to have one of those interviews."

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