{"id":36842,"date":"2018-01-20T19:34:12","date_gmt":"2018-01-21T00:34:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonnfl.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=36842"},"modified":"2018-01-20T19:35:34","modified_gmt":"2018-01-21T00:35:34","slug":"tennessee-titans-hire-mike-vrabel-head-coach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2018\/01\/20\/tennessee-titans-hire-mike-vrabel-head-coach\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Titans Hire Mike Vrabel as Head Coach"},"content":{"rendered":"

Despite making the playoffs, the Titans fired head coach Mike Mularkey<\/a> <\/strong>after their AFC divisional loss to the New England Patriots.<\/a> The Tennessee Titans<\/a> have hired Mike Vrabel<\/a> <\/strong>as their next head coach\u00a0<\/a>to replace Mularkey and lead the organization to new heights. Vrabel served as the defensive coordinator last season with the Houston Texans<\/a>. He is regarded around the league as a passionate former linebacker, being a leader of the Patriots defense during his playing career. After his play career ended in 2010, Vrabel coached at Ohio State for three years as a defensive assistant before moving to the Texans as a linebacker coach in 2014, then the defensive coordinator in 2017.<\/p>\n

Tennessee Titans Hire Mike Vrabel as Head Coach <\/strong><\/h1>\n

The Titans ended their search for a new head coach almost as soon as it started. The Titans finished the 2017 season at 9-7, yet fell into the playoffs. After a miraculous comeback win over the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> in the AFC wild card round, they dropped to the Patriots, and subsequently dropped head coach Mularkey.<\/p>\n

The Titans main complaints were a slow progression of quarterback Marcus Mariota<\/a>\u00b8<\/strong> leading many rumours to indicate they would seek an offensive mastermind. The two other coaching candidates interviewed were Carolina Panthers<\/a> defensive coordinator Steve Wilks <\/strong>and Los Angeles Rams<\/a> offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. <\/strong>However, the Titans hired Mike Vrabel, a defensive leader during his 13-year playing career, and a coach over the past eight years.<\/p>\n

Vrabel was coached by some of the best during his career as a linebacker, including Patriots Bill Belichick<\/strong>, the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> Bill Cowher<\/a><\/strong>, then coached under Ohio State Buckeyes coaching legend Urban Meyer. <\/strong>He carried that over to lead a successful Texans crew including Brian Cushing<\/a>, Jadeveon Clowney<\/a>, J.J. Watt<\/a>, <\/strong>and Whitney Mercilus<\/a>. <\/strong>However, many of those key players were injured last season for the Texans, leading to a 4-12 record.<\/p>\n

Titans general manager Jon Robinson <\/strong>stated that Vabrel was a, \u201cLeader of men,\u201d and that he has \u201calways had a great deal of respect for Mike as a player and as a coach.\u201d Vabrel will be introduced in a press conference on Monday morning.<\/p>\n

Main Image:<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>