Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel’s future with the organization is uncertain.
There was no press conference regarding his future, and Vrabel said that he wants to be with Tennessee. The main focus of his potential departure revolved around the New England Patriots head coaching job.
Head coach of the Patriots Bill Belichick has also been in the midst of rumblings about his potential departure, and Vrabel emerged as one of the leading candidates for the job. When being inducted into the Patriots Ring of Honor, Vrabel referred to the Patriots as “we.”
I still think about that time Vrabel went back to New England this season to be inducted into the Ring of Honor, and during his half time speech he referred to the Patriots as “we”. https://t.co/0I4sfjFI4i
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 8, 2024
Tennessee Titans players want Mike Vrabel to stay
Tennessee Titans players have been asked about Vrabel’s future in the last few weeks. Linebacker Harold Landry says he can’t imagine what it would be like to not have Vrabel as the coach of the Titans in an article from Pro Football Talk.
“I feel like if you just look at this past game, guys were playing hard for him,” Landry said. “Guys want to win for him. I really can’t imagine him not being here being the Titans head coach. I just can’t imagine that.”
Titans quarterback Will Levis said he wants continuity, especially as a new player in the NFL. Titans cornerback Elijah Molden also said he loved playing for Vrabel.
Will Levis votes for continuity. Mike Vrabel said he will communicate with players as soon as he know. #Titans pic.twitter.com/NVm549h7dT
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) January 8, 2024
#Titans Elijah Molden has loved playing for Mike Vrabel over the last few years: pic.twitter.com/On0VPZzanX
— Kayla Anderson ✨ (@KaylaAndersonTV) January 8, 2024
Vrabel’s nature as a player’s coach can be seen in this greeting with former players Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. Vrabel, a former player for the New England Patriots, has always connected with players in a way that other coaches fail to do.
Mike Vrabel catching up with the boys before today’s game @BussinWTB
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 7, 2024
The Tennessee Titans have made it the farthest in the playoffs under Mike Vrabel since the early 2000s
Vrabel is 56-48 during his time with the Titans, but he has missed the playoffs in each of the last two years. The Titans finished last in their division this year with a 6-11 record. It was their worst record under Vrabel, and their worst record since 2015 when Ken Whisenhunt was fired after going 1-6. They finished that season 3-13.
The Titans made the conference championship in 2019, which kicked off a three-year streak of a playoff appearance for the Titans. The last time they made the conference championship before 2019 was in 2002 under head coach Jeff Fisher.
Vrabel was also named the Coach of the Year in 2021 when the Titans finished 12-5 and clinched the No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs. The Titans lost in the divisional round to the Cincinnati Bengals. They lost their first playoff game appearance in the year prior as well.
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