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Mike Vrabel

{{Short description|American football player and coach (born 1975)}}

{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Mike Vrabel

| image = Mike Vrabel 2022 (cropped).png

| caption = Vrabel with the Tennessee Titans in 2022

| current_team = New England Patriots

| number =

| position = Head coach

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1975|8|14|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Akron, Ohio, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lb = 261

| high_school = Walsh Jesuit {{nowrap|(Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)}}

| college = Ohio State (1993–1996)

| draftyear = 1997

| draftround = 3

| draftpick = 91

| pastteams =

| pastcoaching =

  • Ohio State (2011)
    Linebackers coach
  • Ohio State (2012–2013)
    Defensive line coach
  • Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2014|2016}})
    Linebackers coach
  • Houston Texans ({{NFL Year|2017}})
    Defensive coordinator
  • Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2018|2023}})
    Head coach
  • Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2024}})
    Coaching and personnel consultant
  • New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2025}}–present)
    Head coach

| highlights = ;As player

;As coach

| statlabel1 = Tackles

| statvalue1 = 762

| statlabel2 = Sacks

| statvalue2 = 57.0

| statlabel3 = Interceptions

| statvalue3 = 11

| statlabel4 = Forced fumbles

| statvalue4 = 19

| statlabel5 = Receptions

| statvalue5 = 10

| statlabel6 = Receiving yards

| statvalue6 = 14

| statlabel7 = Total touchdowns

| statvalue7 = 11

| regular_record = {{Winning percentage|54|45|record=y}}

| playoff_record = {{Winning percentage|2|3|record=y}}

| overall_record = {{Winning percentage|56|48|record=y}}

| pfr = VrabMi20

| pfrcoach = VrabMi0

}}

Michael George Vrabel ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|v|r|eɪ|b|əl}} {{respell|VRAY|bəl}}; born August 14, 1975) is an American professional football coach and former linebacker who is the head coach of the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes, earning consensus All-American honors. He then played in the NFL for 14 seasons, primarily as a member of the Patriots, where he became a three-time Super Bowl champion and a First-team All-Pro during his eight-year tenure. Noted for his versatility, Vrabel scored a receiving touchdown in consecutive Super Bowls, Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX, becoming the only primarily defensive player to score in two Super Bowls.

Vrabel was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1997 NFL draft, serving a four-year stint as a reserve player before joining the Patriots as a free agent in 2001, where he gained a larger role as an eventual starter and was key member of their 2000s defenses. He then finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs after being traded there in 2009.

After retiring as a player following the 2010 season, Vrabel was the linebackers and defensive line coach at Ohio State for three seasons. His NFL coaching career began in 2014 with the Houston Texans as linebackers coach and then defensive coordinator, before serving as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2023. He was fired by the Titans following the 2023 season and served as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns in 2024 before being hired as Patriots head coach in 2025.

Early life

Vrabel was born on August 14, 1975, in Akron, Ohio. He is a 1993 graduate of Walsh Jesuit High School in nearby Cuyahoga Falls, where he was a standout on their football team coached by Gerry Rardin.{{Cite web |date=July 11, 2011 |title=Ohio State football: Mike Vrabel retires from Kansas City Chiefs to take job as Buckeyes' linebacker coach |url=https://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/2011/07/ohio_state_football_mike_vrabe.html |access-date=January 31, 2022 |website=Cleveland.com |agency=Associated Press}}

Playing career

=College=

Vrabel accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Ohio State University and played defensive end from 1993 to 1996. He compiled twelve sacks as a sophomore, thirteen as a junior, and forty-eight tackles and nine sacks as a senior.{{Cite web |date=December 18, 2014|title=Mike Vrabel |website= New England Patriots |url=http://archive.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=10110}} As a senior in 1996, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American. Vrabel finished his career at Ohio State by being named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year in both 1995 and 1996, becoming the first of two players to ever win the award twice (Wendell Bryant of Wisconsin being the other). He accumulated 36 sacks and 66 tackles for a loss.{{Cite web |title=Mike Vrabel Bio |website=The Ohio State University Official Athletic Site :: Football |url=http://www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/vrabel_mike00.html |access-date=December 29, 2017}}

He was named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000, and in 2012 was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |last=Bill Livingston |date=September 21, 2012 |title=For Ohio State's John Simon, every week is a big game |url=https://www.cleveland.com/livingston/2012/09/for_ohio_states_john_simon_eve.html |access-date=January 31, 2022 |website=The Plain Dealer}}

=National Football League=

{{NFL predraft

| height ft = 6

| height in = 4 1/8

| weight = 270

| dash = 4.93

| ten split = 1.70

| twenty split = 2.88

| shuttle = 4.43

| cone drill = 7.77

| vertical = 29.5

| broad ft = 8

| broad in = 6

| bench = 23

| arm span = 34 1/4

| hand span = 9 5/8

| wonderlic =

| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=http://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/mike-vrabel-is-living-proof-the-nfl-combine-doesn-t-tell-all-20408475 |title=Mike Vrabel is Living Proof the NFL Combine Doesn't Tell All |website= Tennessee Titans|access-date=September 24, 2021}}{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=23123 |title=Mike Vrabel, Combine Results, DE – Ohio State |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=September 24, 2021}}

}}

==Pittsburgh Steelers==

Vrabel was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (91st overall) of the 1997 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=1997 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1997/draft.htm |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He spent the first four seasons of his career in Pittsburgh. His most notable play as a Steeler came in his rookie season, when he strip-sacked Drew Bledsoe in the 1997–98 AFC Divisional Playoffs to clinch a 7–6 win for the Steelers and advance them to the AFC Championship Game. Vrabel had 12 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 1998; 9 tackles and two sacks in 1999; and 15 tackles, one sack, and one fumble recovery in 2000.

==New England Patriots==

Vrabel joined the New England Patriots as a free agent for the 2001 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/titans-hire-mike-vrabel-as-next-head-coach/|title=Titans name Mike Vrabel next head coach, tapping Pats line after missing McDaniels|date=January 20, 2018 }} He played in every game on defense, starting in 12. He would occasionally come in as an eligible receiver, lining up as a tight end. Bill Belichick took advantage of this in 2004 in Super Bowl XXXVIII. In the fourth quarter, Tom Brady threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Vrabel, making Vrabel the first defensive player to score a Super Bowl touchdown on offense since William "Refrigerator" Perry did so for the Chicago Bears against the Patriots in 1986's Super Bowl XX. Vrabel was one of the defensive stars as well; he had two sacks (one forcing a fumble) of Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme.

In Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005, Vrabel caught a two-yard touchdown pass despite being held by the Eagles' Jevon Kearse, a feat pictured on the cover of the 2005 NFL Record and Fact Book. The reception made him one of 17 players to catch two or more touchdown passes in Super Bowls.

Vrabel finished with 10 career receptions in just 14 targets, all for touchdowns. He caught one in 2002, two in 2004, three in 2005, and two in 2007 in the regular season, and one each in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX, all with the Patriots, and one each in 2009 and 2010 with the Chiefs (thrown by former Patriot Matt Cassel). In addition to his 12 total receiving touchdowns on offense, Vrabel recorded his only career defensive touchdown against the Panthers in Week 2 of the 2005 season when he intercepted a pass from Delhomme and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. According to the website Cold Hard Football Facts, no other player in NFL history has a better record of converting receptions to touchdowns. His versatility was good enough for NFL Network to rank him #7 on their Top 10 episode of the Most Versatile Players.

In Week 8 of the 2007 season, Vrabel forced three fumbles, had three sacks, recovered an onside kick, and scored an offensive touchdown against the Washington Redskins, for which he was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week. In December 2007, he was selected to start at the Pro Bowl; in January 2008, he was named to the NFL All-Pro team for the 2007 season.

On December 26, 2005, on the final Monday Night Football game on ABC, Vrabel became, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the first player—since the official recording of sacks began in 1982—to have two touchdown catches and a sack in the same game.{{Cite news |last=Monique Walker |date=October 29, 2007 |title=For Vrabel, both sides now |work=The Boston Globe |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2007/10/29/for_vrabel_both_sides_now/ |access-date=January 31, 2022}}

File:Super Bowl 2008 - XLII with Mike Vrabel (cropped).JPG in 2008]]

Though right outside linebacker had been Vrabel's primary position in the Patriots' 3–4 scheme in his first four seasons with New England, in 2005 Vrabel moved to inside linebacker, because of the limited effectiveness of inside backers Monty Beisel and Chad Brown, although he had never before played inside in the NFL. By the time Tedy Bruschi returned from injury, he and Vrabel were the two men starting inside. Rosevelt Colvin successfully filled Vrabel's old spot, and many cite the change in positions as a major contributor to the Patriots' rebound in the second half of the season. Vrabel moved inside again late in the 2006 season after Junior Seau suffered a broken arm.

==Kansas City Chiefs==

On February 27, 2009, the Patriots traded Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs for what was originally announced as an undisclosed draft pick.{{Cite web |last=Gasper |first=Christopher L. |date=February 28, 2009 |title=Vrabel trade confirmed |url=http://archive.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2009/02/28/vrabel_traded_in_a_stunner/ |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=Boston Globe}} The next day it was revealed that Patriots traded both Vrabel and Matt Cassel in exchange for the Chiefs' second round pick, the 34th overall selection in the 2009 NFL draft.{{Cite magazine |last=King |first=Peter |date=February 28, 2009 |title=Chiefs complete trade for Cassel |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2009/02/28/chiefs-tradeforcassel |access-date=December 29, 2017 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |agency=CNN}} He would play in Kansas City for 2 seasons before retiring.

NFL career statistics

class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
colspan="2"| Legend
style="background:#afe6ba; width:3em;"|

| Won the Super Bowl

Bold

| Career high

=Regular season=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="4"| Tackles

! colspan="6"| Interceptions

! colspan="4"| Fumbles

GPGSCmbSoloAstSckIntYdsAvgLngTDPDFFFRYdsTD
1997PIT

| 15 || 0 || 17 || 14 || 3 || 1.5 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0

1998PIT

| 11 || 0 || 9 || 6 || 3 || 2.5 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

1999PIT

| 10 || 0 || 5 || 4 || 1 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0

2000PIT

| 15 || 0 || 5 || 3 || 2 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0

2001style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 16 || 12 || 63 || 40 || 23 || 3.0 || 2 || 27 || 13.5 || 15 || 0 || 9 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

2002NE

| 16 || 13 || 82 || 58 || 24 || 4.5 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0

2003style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 13 || 9 || 52 || 37 || 15 || 9.5 || 2 || 18 || 9.0 || 14 || 0 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 0

2004style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 16 || 15 || 71 || 54 || 17 || 5.5 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

2005NE

| 16 || 16 || 108 || 73 || 35 || 4.5 || 2 || 23 || 11.5 || 24T || 1 || 5 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0

2006NE

| 16 || 16 || 89 || 54 || 35 || 4.5 || 3 || 0 || 0.0 || 2 || 0 || 4 || 3 || 1 || 0 || 0

2007NE

| 16 || 15 || 77 || 55 || 22 || 12.5 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0

2008NE

| 16 || 14 || 62 || 40 || 22 || 4.0 || 1 || 5 || 5.0 || 5 || 0 || 4 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0

2009KC

| 14 || 14 || 52 || 43 || 9 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0

2010KC

| 16 || 16 || 48 || 30 || 18 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0

colspan="2"| Career{{Cite web |title=Mike Vrabel Stats |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/V/VrabMi20.htm |access-date=January 22, 2018 |website=Pro Football Reference}}20614074051122957.011736.724T14119900

==Postseason==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Team

! colspan="2"| Games

! colspan="4"| Tackles

! colspan="6"| Interceptions

! colspan="4"| Fumbles

GPGSCmbSoloAstSckIntYdsAvgLngTDPDFFFRYdsTD
1997PIT

| 2 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

2001style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 3 || 3 || 11 || 7 || 4 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

2003style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 3 || 3 || 18 || 15 || 3 || 3.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0

2004style="background:#afe6ba;"|NE

| 3 || 3 || 14 || 11 || 3 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0

2005NE

| 2 || 2 || 15 || 8 || 7 || 1.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

2006NE

| 3 || 3 || 20 || 15 || 5 || 2.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0

2007NE

| 3 || 3 || 6 || 3 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0

2010KC

| 1 || 1 || 3 || 0 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0

colspan="2"| Career20188860289.0000.00033210

Coaching career

=Ohio State=

Vrabel retired on July 10, 2011, to become the linebackers coach at Ohio State.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Erick |date=July 11, 2011 |title=Mike Vrabel to retire from NFL and join Ohio State coaching staff |url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2011/07/mike-vrabel-ohio-state-assistant-nfl/1 |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=USA Today}} On December 21, 2011, new Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer decided to keep Vrabel on as part of his coaching staff as defensive line coach.{{Cite web |last=Brian Bennett |date=December 21, 2011 |title=Meyer, Belichick see strengths in Vrabel |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/56186/meyer-belichick-see-strengths-in-vrabel |access-date=January 31, 2022 |website=College Football Nation Blog |publisher=ESPN}}

=Houston Texans=

On January 10, 2014, Vrabel was hired by the Houston Texans as a linebackers coach.{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Brian |date=January 9, 2014 |title=Mike Vrabel to coach Texans' LBs |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/10271040/mike-vrabel-leaving-ohio-state-buckeyes-become-houston-texans-linebackers-coach |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=ESPN.com}} During his three seasons as linebackers coach, the Texans ranked third in the NFL in yards allowed per game.{{Cite web |title=Mike Vrabel |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/coaches-roster/mike-vrabel |access-date=January 31, 2022 |website=Tennessee Titans |archive-date=January 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220131054611/https://www.tennesseetitans.com/team/coaches-roster/mike-vrabel |url-status=dead }} In January 2016 news outlets reported that the San Francisco 49ers offered Vrabel their defensive coordinator job; Vrabel declined the offer and remained in Houston.{{Cite web |last=Cohn |first=Grant |title=Why Mike Vrabel said no to 49ers' D-coordinator job |url=http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/5114777-181/grant-cohn-why-mike-vrabel |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123220100/http://www.pressdemocrat.com/sports/5114777-181/grant-cohn-why-mike-vrabel |archive-date=January 23, 2016 |access-date=February 9, 2016 |website=Santa Rosa Press Democrat}} In January 2017, the Texans named Vrabel as their defensive coordinator, moving previous coordinator Romeo Crennel to assistant head coach.{{Cite web |last=Barshop |first=Sarah |date=January 18, 2017 |title=Texans to promote Mike Vrabel to DC; Romeo Crennel stays as assistant HC |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18501118/houston-texans-promoting-mike-vrabel-defensive-coordinator |access-date=December 29, 2017 |website=ESPN.com}} He coached players such as J. J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, Whitney Mercilus and Benardrick McKinney.

=Tennessee Titans=

File:Mike Vrabel 2018.jpg head coach in 2018]]

On January 20, 2018, Vrabel was hired as the head coach of the Tennessee Titans on a five-year deal.{{Cite news |last=Bogage |first=Jacob |date=January 20, 2018 |title=Titans hire Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel as head coach |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2018/01/20/titans-hire-texans-defensive-coordinator-mike-vrabel-as-next-head-coach/ |access-date=January 20, 2018}}{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Jim |date=January 20, 2018 |title=Titans Hire Mike Vrabel for Head Coaching Job |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-hire-mike-vrabel-for-head-coaching-job-20277260 |access-date=January 31, 2022 |website=Tennessee Titans}} On September 16, 2018, Vrabel beat the Houston Texans 20–17 in Week 2 for his first career win as a head coach.{{Cite web |last=Davenport, Turron |date=September 16, 2018 |title=With Titans depleted, Mike Vrabel pulls out all stops for first win |url=http://www.espn.com/blog/tennessee-titans/post/_/id/26883/with-titans-depleted-mike-vrabel-pulls-out-all-stops-for-first-win |access-date=November 3, 2018 |website=ESPN.com}} On September 30, 2018, he led the Titans to a 26–23 overtime victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in a Week 4 upset.{{Cite web |last=Wyatt, Jim |date=September 30, 2018 |title=Titans Win Overtime Thriller Over Eagles, 26–23 |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/titans-win-overtime-thriller-over-eagles-26-23 |access-date=January 31, 2022|website=Tennessee Titans}} On November 11, 2018, Vrabel beat his former longtime coach Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots in a 34–10 Week 10 victory.{{Cite web |author1=Bowers, Rachel |author2=Dunphy, Mark |date=November 11, 2018 |title=Mike Vrabel and the Titans thoroughly beat Bill Belichick and the Patriots |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2018/11/11/patriots-titans-live-updates-and-analysis/Y21I2NkJ5mlkNy4TswuXBL/story.html#game |access-date=November 11, 2018 |website=BostonGlobe.com}} Under Vrabel, the Titans' defense improved from the 13th-ranked defense in 2017 to the eighth-ranked defense in 2018. Vrabel and the Titans narrowly missed the playoffs by one game and finished the 2018 season with a 9–7 record.{{Cite web |title=2018 Tennessee Titans Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2018.htm |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

The 2019 season saw the Titans again finish 9–7; however, this would be enough to make the playoffs as a sixth seed. During a 16–0 shutout loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 6, Vrabel elected to bench quarterback Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill, a move that led to the Titans winning seven of their final ten games despite starting 2–4.{{Cite web |title=2019 Tennessee Titans Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2019.htm |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In the wild-card round, Tennessee upset the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 20–13, led by running back Derrick Henry's 204 yards from scrimmage, to advance to the divisional round.{{Cite web |title=Wild Card – Tennessee Titans at New England Patriots – January 4th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202001040nwe.htm |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} The Titans pulled off another upset against the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, winning 28–12 behind another breakout performance from Henry with 202 scrimmage yards along with a passing touchdown on a trick play.{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round – Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens – January 11th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202001110rav.htm |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} With the victory, the Titans advanced to their first AFC Championship in seventeen seasons, where they were eliminated by the eventual Super Bowl LIV champion Kansas City Chiefs 35–24.{{Cite web |title=AFC Championship – Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs – January 19th, 2020 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202001190kan.htm |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

File:Coach Mike Vrabel.jpg

In the 2020 season, the Titans finished 11-5 and won the AFC South for the first time since 2008.{{Cite web |title=2020 Tennessee Titans Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2020.htm#all_games |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2024-01-21 |title=AFC South Division Champions Year-by-Year |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/titans/history/afc-south-division-champions-year-by-year-records-playoff-results-colts-texans-titans-jaguars |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Tennessee Titans On SI |language=en-US}} However, they would fall to the Ravens 20-13 in the wild card round.{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - January 10th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202101100oti.htm |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

In the 2021 season, he would lead the Titans to a 12-5 record and the #1 overall seed in the AFC, securing a bye to the divisional round.{{Cite web |title=2021 Tennessee Titans Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2021.htm#all_games |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} In the divisional round, they would face the Cincinnati Bengals. With the game tied at 16-16 with under thirty seconds left in regulation, a pass by Tannehill would be intercepted by Cincinnati's Logan Wilson, setting up a game-winning field goal by Evan McPherson, eliminating the Titans.{{Cite web |title=Bengals 19-16 Titans (Jan 22, 2022) Play-by-Play |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/playbyplay/_/gameId/401326632 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=ESPN |language=en}} For his work that season, he was named the AP Coach of the Year.{{cite web | last=Goodbread | first=Chase | title=Titans coach Mike Vrabel named 2021 AP NFL Coach of the Year | website=NFL.com | date=2022-02-11 | url=https://www.nfl.com/news/titans-coach-mike-vrabel-named-2021-ap-nfl-coach-of-the-year | access-date=2024-12-25}}

In the 2022 season, the Titans started 7-3, putting them in a prime position to secure a playoff spot. However, they lost seven straight games and ended up missing the playoffs at 7-10.{{Cite web |title=2022 Tennessee Titans Rosters, Stats, Schedule, Team Draftees, Injury Reports |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/oti/2022.htm#all_games |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} After the 2023 season, which ended with a 6–11 record, Vrabel was dismissed from the Titans.{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2024 |title=Titans fire coach Mike Vrabel after six seasons |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39272784/sources-titans-fire-coach-mike-vrabel-6-seasons |access-date=January 9, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

=Cleveland Browns=

After not landing a coordinator or head coaching job in the offseason, Vrabel signed a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns as a coaching and personnel consultant on March 15, 2024.{{Cite web |last=Simmons |first=Myles |date=March 15, 2024 |title=Browns hire Mike Vrabel as coaching and personnel consultant |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/browns-hire-mike-vrabel-as-coaching-and-personnel-consultant |access-date=March 15, 2024 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Mike Vrabel permitted to leave Browns, start-head coaching interviews: Source|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6027101/2024/12/30/mike-vrabel-head-coaching-interviews/|access-date=December 31, 2024|website=The New York Times|language=en |last1=Rosenblatt |first1=Zack |last2=Russini |first2=Dianna }}

=New England Patriots=

On January 12, 2025, Vrabel was hired as the head coach of the New England Patriots.{{Cite web |title=Patriots Hall of Famer Mike Vrabel returns to New England as our 16th head coach |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-hall-of-famer-mike-vrabel-returns-to-new-england-as-our-16th-head-coach |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=www.patriots.com |language=en-US}}

Head coaching record

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"|Teamrowspan="2"|Yearcolspan="5"|Regular seasoncolspan="4"|Postseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
TEN || 2018

| 9 || 7 || 0 || {{winpct|9|7}} || 3rd in AFC South || — || — || — || —

style="background:#fdd;"

! TEN

2019

| 9

70{{winpct|9|7}}2nd in AFC South21{{winpct|2|1}}Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Championship Game
style="background:#fdd;"

!TEN

20201150{{winpct|11|5}}1st in AFC South01{{winpct|0|1}}Lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Wild card game
style="background:#fdd;"

! TEN

2021

| 12

50{{winpct|12|5}}1st in AFC South01{{winpct|0|1}}Lost to Cincinnati Bengals in AFC Divisional Game
TEN || 2022

| 7 || 10 || 0 || {{winpct|7|10}} || 2nd in AFC South || — || — || — || —

TEN || 2023

| 6 || 11 || 0 || {{winpct|6|11}}|| 4th in AFC South || — || — || — || —

colspan="2"|TEN total || 54 || 45 || 0 || {{winpct|54|45|0}} || || 2 || 3 || {{winpct|2|3}} ||
NE || 2025

| 0 || 0 || 0 || {{winpct|0|0}}|| TBD || — || — || — || —

colspan="2"|NE total || 0 || 0 || 0 || {{winpct|0|0|0}} || || 0 || 0 || {{winpct|0|0}} ||
colspan="2" |Total || 54 || 45 || 0 || {{winpct|54|45}}|| || 2 || 3 || {{winpct|2|3}} ||

Personal life

Vrabel and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Tyler and Carter.{{Cite news |date=July 11, 2011 |title=Vrabel returns to Ohio State as coach |work=NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2011-07-11/vrabel-returns-ohio-state-coach |access-date=December 29, 2017}} Tyler started on the offensive line for the Boston College Eagles football team for three years and declared himself for the 2022 NFL draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcinterruption.com/2022/1/18/22889972/tyler-vrabel-declares-for-2022-nfl-draft-boston-college-offensive-tackle|title=Tyler Vrabel Declares for 2022 NFL Draft|last1=Patel|first1=Niraj|publisher=BC Interrupted|date=January 18, 2022|accessdate=April 28, 2022}} Undrafted, Tyler was signed by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2022 preseason.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/falcons-sign-tyler-vrabel-son-of-titans-head-coach-mike-vrabel-to-practice-squad/|title=Falcons sign Tyler Vrabel, son of Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, to practice squad|work=CBS Sports|first=Jordan|last=Dajani|date=August 31, 2022|access-date=October 24, 2023}} In September 2019, Carter committed to play baseball at Wabash Valley College.{{Cite tweet|last=Vrabel |first=Carter |user=cv1and_only |number=1168280674509426694 |title=...With that being said, I have decided I am going to commit to Wabash Valley College, to continue my academic and athletic career! Go Warriors |access-date=September 30, 2019 }} Carter then spent two seasons with Volunteer State Community College, before transferring to Tennessee Tech for his final year.{{cite web|url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/2023/05/21/tennessee-titans-coach-mike-vrabels-son-to-play-baseball-at-tech/70240533007/|title=Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel's son Carter will play baseball at Tennessee Tech|work=The Tennessean|first=Mike|last=Organ|date=May 21, 2023|access-date=October 24, 2023}} Vrabel founded the "Mike's Second and Seven Foundation" with his former Ohio State teammates Ryan Miller and Luke Fickell to promote literacy in the central Ohio area.{{Cite web |title=Mike Vrabel Biography |url=http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=10110 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703165636/http://www.patriots.com/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=10110 |archive-date=July 3, 2009 |access-date=October 19, 2010 |website=Patriots.com}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

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  • [https://www.patriots.com/team/coaches-roster/mike-vrabel New England Patriots profile]

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Category:1975 births

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