Former Titans Coach Re-Retires

For the third time in five years, Dean Pees, Mike Vrabel's defensive coordinator in 2018 and 2019, has said his NFL career is over.

Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports

Dean Pees has retired. Again.

The former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator called it a career for a third time Monday.

The 73-year-old spent the last two seasons in charge of the Atlanta Falcons defense. His unit finished 23rd in the NFL in points allowed this season and 27th in yards allowed. Only one team had fewer sacks than Atlanta’s 21.

The decision mirrors what happened when he left the Titans following the 2019 season, his second as signal-caller for their defense.

Pees came to Tennessee months after he retired from the Baltimore Ravens in 2018. That decision, he said, was motivated by a desire to work with Mike Vrabel, one of his former players. He went to Atlanta after one year on the sidelines to work for Arthur Smith, who was on Tennessee’s staff during Pees’ two years there.

"You appreciate all the work and the sacrifice," Smith said, via the Falcons’ website. "We all get paid to do this and we're lucky as hell, but there are sacrifices you have to make. Dean's a guy who has coached at every level and had success. He has impacted a lot of lives and he has impacted the game."

Pees’ first NFL job was as linebackers coach for the New England Patriots in 2004. In 2006, he became the Patriots’ defensive coordinator and for 14 of the next 17 seasons, he led an NFL defense. Eight times, his defenses finished among the top 10 in scoring.

He was a college coach for 25 years before he made the jump to the NFL.

The Titans finished third in scoring defense and eighth in yards during his first season. The next year, those rankings slipped to 12th and 21st, respectively, but Tennessee reached the AFC Championship game.

"For me, it was exciting just knowing that he's stepping into that next stage of his life," outside linebacker Lorenzo Carter said, via ESPN.com. "He's coached for 50 years. He's been around. So it's just exciting. It's an honor to have played for him.

"He just put it out there that this is what he's been thinking and he made a decision. It's been great and I'm excited for him."

Maybe this time he will stay retired.