The Tennessee Titans surprised many after Black Monday by firing head coach Mike Vrabel, immediately making him one of the most coveted NFL coaching candidates in 2024. While Tennessee may struggle to land its choice of coaches, Vrabel is well-positioned to have several opportunities to choose from.
Despite consecutive losing seasons in Tennessee, Vrabel is widely viewed as one of the best coaches in the NFL. The 48-year-old has built a reputation of being a strong culture builder, a respected voice in the locker room and someone who brings CEO-like qualities to an organization.
- Mike Vrabel coaching record: 54-45 with the Tennessee Titans
Related: 2024 NFL Draft order, picks by team
Those are just a few of the reasons why Vrabel is so in demand during the NFL coaching carousel. He’s expected to receive interview requests from several clubs with head-coaching vacancies, but it appears there are two jobs he’d prioritize.
On the latest Yahoo Sports’ Inside Coverage podcast, NFL insider Charles Robinson reiterated that the two jobs he’s heard Vrabel is most attracted to are the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys.
Related: NFL coaching carousel predictions 2024
“From what I know, and we’ve talked about this on the show, I think Mike is attracted to New England, because of the ties there and closeness to ownership, and for whatever reason Dallas.. I’m not exactly 100% sure what he likes about Dallas, let’s see how things finish with the Cowboys.”
Charles Robinson on NFL teams that Mike Vrabel is interested in
Vrabel’s interest and ties to New England are well-documented. The legendary Patriots linebacker returned to Gillette Stadium this past season to be inducted into the team’s ring of honor. With the Patriots moving on from Bill Belichick, Vrabel stands out as an ideal replacement.
However, Patriots’ assistant coach Jerod Mayo has seemingly been waiting in the wings to replace Belichick. He signed a contract extension last year to remain in New England, a contract that seemingly include language for a succession plan to replace Belichick.
As for the Cowboys, Dallas is committed to head coach Mike McCarthy for now. However, a first-round knockout at AT&T Stadium to the Green Bay Packers or even a poor showing in the Divisional Round could force owner Jerry Jones to make a move. If McCarthy is fired, Vrabel and Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn could emerge as two of the leading candidates for Dallas.