Former Tennessee Titans head coach and current Cleveland Browns coaching and personnel consultant Mike Vrabel is “getting the most hype around the league” for a head-coaching gig in the 2025 cycle, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
“As owners look around at the league’s successful head coaches, it’s the culture-builders that stand out (think Dan Campbell, Mike Tomlin and Raheem Morris),” Russini wrote.
“Vrabel certainly fits into that category, a former player who can unite a locker room while also holding his players accountable. Vrabel was a finalist for the Chargers and Falcons jobs last year. He wants to coach in 2025 and I expect him to have his pick of available jobs.”
The 49-year-old Vrabel was the Titans’ head coach from 2018-2023, leading the team to three playoff appearances and a 54-45 record.
Vrabel ran a physical football team in Tennessee led by a powerful rushing attack guided by star running back Derrick Henry. It appears that more physical football will be the hot trend for teams looking for coaches in 2025, per Russini:
“Speaking of Vrabel, a decision-maker expecting to make a coaching change pointed out to me a trend they are focused on bringing to their team for 2025: a physical brand of football. Pointing to the Chargers, Chiefs, Packers, Lions and Eagles, he made it clear that this season has proven running the football is part of a winning foundation. Trends always make their way back around!”
If that’s the case, it makes sense that Vrabel is a hot name this time around. He did have success with the Titans, leading them to the 2019 AFC Championship Game and a pair of AFC South titles in 2020 and 2021. Tennessee also earned the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2021.
It didn’t end well for Vrabel in Tennessee, with the team posting 7-10 and 6-11 records in his final two seasons. But teams won’t overlook what he accomplished beforehand. And for what it’s worth, Vrabel also played 14 years as an NFL linebacker, winning three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
Ultimately, all signs point to Vrabel only having a one-year head coaching hiatus this time around. Openings will be available for him to potentially choose from, and two are already in the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints, both of whom fired their head coaches this season.