The Tennessee Titans made one of the most surprising moves of the short-lived offseason, firing head coach Mike Vrabel after six years of running the show. Vrabel, a three-time Super Bowl champion during his playing days, helped guide the Titans to the best three-year stretch in recent franchise history. After benching Marcus Mariota for Ryan Tannehill back in 2019, the team made it to the AFC Championship Game in that same season and followed it up with two consecutive playoff appearances.
However, the wheels quickly fell off the wagon over the past two seasons. The Titans have yet to make the playoffs since the ill-fated A.J. Brown trade, and this lack of success ultimately cost Mike Vrabel his job. Even though his tenure ended on a low note, the head coach should receive plenty of interest across the league. Right now, there are five teams officially looking for a new head coach (excluding the Titans), and one other that could very well part ways with their current coach in the coming days. Each team will probably do their due diligence on Vrabel, but which one makes the most sense for his next NFL home?
The Best Head Coaching Fits For Mike Vrabel, Ranked
6. Las Vegas Raiders
Mike Vrabel never coached for the Patriots, but he spent a good portion of his playing career in New England and has a similar philosophy on how to run a team. Seeing as the Raiders just survived the failed Josh McDaniels experiment, they probably don’t want anyone too closely associated with the Bill Belichick coaching tree. Even if they don’t blame Mike Vrabel for the sins of Josh McDaniels, the Raiders should look to hire an offensive-minded coach to help whoever becomes their next quarterback.
5. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have too many problems to fix in a single offseason. So, with this in mind, they need to prioritize what to fix in the coming months. Bryce Young should be at the very top of this list, as the first-overall pick had a rookie season to forget while playing in a terrible environment. Vrabel’s a good leader of men, but his outdated run-heavy philosophy is probably a bad fit for what Young needs to succeed. Instead of the defensive-minded Vrabel, Carolina should see what someone like Ben Johnson or Bob Slowik can do with the Alabama product.
4. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders finished with the second-overall pick because their defense was the worst in the NFL. The pass rush couldn’t get home, the linebackers couldn’t tackle, and the secondary couldn’t cover anybody. The team is in a position to select either Drake Maye or Caleb Williams, and both quarterbacks should hit the ground running with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson at wide receiver. So, with that in mind, perhaps the Commanders target Mike Vrabel to fix the defense.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons hired Arthur Smith back in the day with the hope that he could be the next Mike Vrabel. Now, with Smith out of town, they have the opportunity to get the real deal. Vrabel and Smith share similar team-building philosophies, which means that this roster won’t need a dramatic overhaul to fit a new scheme. The biggest difference between the two coaches is that Vrabel has never shown a hesitancy to use his best players. Bijan Robinson can be his new Derrick Henry, and Drake London can fill the A.J. Brown role.
2. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have Justin Herbert and plenty of playmakers on either side of the ball. Despite their lackluster record, this team is ready to compete, and all they need is a somewhat competent head coach. The Chargers are reportedly targeting someone with previous head coaching experience, and while Jim Harbaugh appears to be their first choice, Mike Vrabel also fits the bill. The offense will be great as long as Herbert is healthy, so Vrabel can spend most of his energy working on fixing the defense.
1. New England Patriots
This is easily the most likely head coaching destination for Mike Vrabel, assuming the position is available. As of this posting, the Patriots have yet to announce if Bill Belichick will be back for the 2024 campaign. The legendary head coach is in a bit of a rut lately, and owner Robert Kraft is reportedly torn on what to do with the man who helped win six Super Bowls for the franchise. Vrabel was supposedly Kraft’s top choice to replace Belichick, and now he won’t even need to trade for the rights to get him. New England has one of the worst rosters in the game and needs a full rebuild, but Vrabel might be up for that if it means returning to the home of his playing career.
Main Photo: Denny Simmons – USA Today Sports
