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.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur previously worked with Mike Vrabel as his offensive coordinator with the Tennessee Titans in 2018 before becoming Green Bay’s head coach. Tennessee finished 9-7 that season, Vrabel’s first with the Titans.
Tennessee dismissed Mike Vrabel as head coach on Tuesday, sending shockwaves throughout the NFL, and they decided to make a change. The Titans have missed the playoffs the last two seasons and concluded this season with a 6-11 record.
Mike Vrabel was the Tennessee Titans’ head coach for six seasons, was a number one seed in the AFC in 2021 with Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback and major injuries, and is well respected by players.
His record as Tennessee’s head coach was 54-45. Vrabel’s Tennessee was also the sixth seed in 2019. In the playoffs that year, they beat top seed Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens before falling to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.
Vrabel will be one of the most sought-after head coaching candidates. Along with him, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh, who just went 15-0 and won the National Championship against the Washington Huskies, could be on the market.
The Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, and Tennessee Titans are the six teams that presently have head coaching jobs.
If Mike Vrabel isn’t hired as a head coach for some reason, such as being too defensive and not offensive enough, might a reunion with Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers be in the works for next season?
A Mike Vrabel-Matt LaFleur reunion with the Green Bay Packers is possible, but don’t count on it.
There are a few reasons why a LaFleur-Vrabel reunion with the Packers may not materialize next season. Would Mike Vrabel prefer a demotion to defensive coordinator over guiding a team elsewhere? Also, who is to say that LaFleur would fire his pal Joe Barry?
This season, Matt LaFleur has often defended him. Green Bay made the playoffs this season, and Barry has improved in recent weeks, for better or worse. Everything will be determined by what happens against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
If Green Bay allows more over 40 points, Barry may be fired. As a defensive coordinator, Mike Vrabel would be a difficult defensive mind. Players enjoy playing for him, and players such as Quay Walker and Rashan Gary would advance to the next level. Lukas Van Ness is another player who could benefit from Vrabel. This is a situation worth keeping an eye on in the coming weeks, but it also feels like a pipe dream rather than a reality.
