Tag: Mike Vrabel

Titans’ Jeffery Simmons ready to rally the troops for Brian Callahan

Per usual, Jeffery Simmons is ready to step up as a leader with the Titans making the transition from Mike Vrabel to Brian Callahan.

Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons has been the epitome of a leader since coming to Nashville, and that has been especially true after signing a monster extension last offseason.

And Simmons is ready to step up once again in 2024 as the Titans make the transition from former head coach Mike Vrabel to new head coach Brian Callahan.

During the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Simmons said he’s ready to rally the troops around the Titans’ new head coach and has a very simple, straightforward message for his teammates.

“You know I am always that guy,” Simmons said, per team writer Jim Wyatt. “I am going to make sure I can keep the locker room tight, and make sure no matter what it might be, no matter the situation, of course we just got a new head coach, I think it’s going to be simple: Buy in or you just have to get left behind.

“For me, being a captain and a leader on this team, my job is to keep holding my end up on that,” he added. “At the end of the day, it is a new beginning for us. It’s a new chapter. We have a new head coach, so we just have to take off with it.”

Simmons has met Callahan and says he is excited for the staff he’s putting together, which includes the new defensive coordinator Simmons will play under, Dennard Wilson.

“I think coming up this season for us is it’s going to be one of those seasons where we have to really reestablish ourselves in Tennessee,” he said. “Having a chance to meet Coach Callahan in person, when I was in the building, I could tell that he is ready, he wants to win. And I am excited for the staff he is bringing in, especially with DC (Dennard Wilson) from Baltimore. I am excited, man. I think it is going to be good for us as an organization.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Will Levis talks Titans firing Mike Vrabel, hiring Brian Callahan

While down at the Super Bowl, Titans quarterback Will Levis discussed the firing of Mike Vrabel and the hiring of Brian Callahan.

Entering his second season in the NFL, Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis be playing for a new head coach after the team fired Mike Vrabel and hired Brian Callahan.

Levis admitted it was “surprising” to see Vrabel lose his job. However, he has some extra motivation after owner Amy Adams Strunk mentioned him as part of the franchise’s future plans in her statement following the move.

“It is a business, and all these decisions are made each and every year,” Levis said, per Jim Wyatt of TennesseeTitans.com. “It was surprising, and there was that limbo period of: What is going to happen with everyone else once we hired somebody? It was definitely a little uncomfortable, because we have no say in all of it. We all loved playing for coach Vrabes, but we all know Miss Amy and the front office, and the organization, has a plan for us.

“I know I am part of the plan, and for her to think of me and include me in it is really special and makes me want to work even harder.”

Despite feeling bad about the situation with Vrabel, Levis says he’s excited to work under Callahan, who has been in contact with him and keeping him in the loop about coaching staff hires.

“You could feel the excitement about the guys he is bringing in, and the guys that we are keeping on the staff,” Levis said. “It just seems like he is being very meticulous about each and every one of these decisions, and he feels really strongly that he has hit the nail on the head about the decisions made so far.”

“He has been able to work with a great amount of quarterbacks and it gets you excited when you see the track record and you see the stats and you start watching the film of how he is able to run an offense and do it really well at a high level efficiently,” Levis added. “So, I am excited to work for him and hopefully be that next guy that people mention of guys he’s had under his belt.”

While Levis has created no shortage of hype following an impressive rookie season, the Kentucky product is far from satisfied. He also noted that he’s close to being full healthy after finishing the season injured.

“Definitely not satisfied,” Levis said. “I know we had the opportunity to win a lot more games than we did, but you can’t fret about all those things, all you can do is look at the tape and do what you can to improve. For me, for one, it’s about getting healthy, which I am close to now, which is a great feeling. Having my body feel this way and as good as it has in 25 weeks or so is really cool. And, I am looking forward to just getting my athleticism back a little bit, getting my legs back, and just being able to be more of a (complete) player than I was this past year.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Ex-Titans HC Mike Vrabel may work with Luke Fickell, Wisconsin in 2024

Former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel may lend a helping hand at a college program in 2024.

After failing to land a job following his firing as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, it appears Mike Vrabel may lend a helping hand to a college program run by his good friend.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, who is very close with Vrabel, recently revealed on ESPN Wisconsin’s “Wilde & Tausch” that Vrabel may work with the program in an unspecified role.

“I talked to (Vrabel), I think, on Saturday, and we hadn’t communicated for probably a week or so just because the process was going,” Fickell said. “He sounded like a new man. And I’m not sure exactly if this was his choice, or what it is the future looks like. But I know that we’re going to have a visitor here that’s going to spend a little bit of time, hopefully around us. Starting, coming up in the spring and some things like that, see how much, how deep we can get involved with my buddy and get him around here.”

Vrabel’s options for a head-coaching gig dried up after the three teams that interviewed him, the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons, all went in a different direction.

It was revealed by The Athletic’s Dianna Russini that Vrabel’s style didn’t fit with the teams he met with, but she also included some wild insight from an unnamed general manager who stated the intimidation factor from Vrabel’s physical appearance may have hurt his chances to land another job.

Whatever the case may be, it looks like Vrabel might be in some sort of an advisory role at Wisconsin, which is a far cry from where many thought he would be upon being fired by the Titans.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Report: Former NFL Coach Of The Year will ‘be around Wisconsin football in some capacity’ this year

This would be great news for the Badgers…

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell said in a radio interview on Wednesday that former NFL Coach Of The Year Mike Vrabel could be around the Badgers’ program in some capacity this year or at least this offseason.

Fickell was on with ESPN Milwaukee’s Jason Wilde and Mark Tauscher, and he said the following about Vrabel spending time with the program — as shared by BadgerExtra’s Colten Bartholomew:

“I’m not sure what the future really looks like, but I know that we’re going to have a visitor here that’s gonna spend a little bit of time, hopefully, around us coming up in the spring. See how deep we can get involved here.”

Related: Way-too-early record predictions for every Big Ten football team in 2024

Vrabel was Fickell’s teammate and roommate at Ohio State in the late 1990s. The two have maintained a close relationship, including coaching together on the Buckeyes’ defensive staff from 2011-2013.

Vrabel is out of an NFL job at the moment. The Tennessee Titans fired him after the 2023 season. He won NFL Coach Of The Year in 2021 when he led the Titans to a 12-5 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC entering the playoffs.

Related: Power ranking all 18 Big Ten football programs after the 2023 season

Fickell’s program, meanwhile, experienced some coaching turnover this offseason. Wide receivers coach Mike Brown took the same position at Notre Dame. Safeties coach Colin Hitschler moved laterally to Alabama, and offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. moved to an off-field role. Hires have been made at those positions (Kenny Guiton, Alex Grinch and A.J. Blazek respectively), but Fickell is clearly still working on improving the staff any way he can.

This partnership would be a slam-dunk for the Wisconsin program. Vrabel brings an exceptional coaching record and is sure to have a positive impact on the growing team.

For Vrabel, maybe this is how he stays connected to the game while he awaits another NFL head coaching gig. Either way, it’s good news for Wisconsin.

Mike Vrabel ‘was never in serious consideration’ for Commanders job

An unnamed executive also shared his thoughts on why Mike Vrabel wasn’t going to be hired by the Commanders.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel will have to wait another year for a chance at being an NFL head coach after all of the openings dried up, with the Washington Commanders’ vacancy being the last one.

While Vrabel received interest from the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Chargers, Vrabel didn’t get an interview with Washington before the team settled on Dan Quinn as its next head coach.

As it turns out, he was never even considered for the job, which was obvious because of the lack of an interview.

Why? Well, an unnamed NFC executive told The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Ben Standig that Commanders general manager Adam Peters was never going to hire Vrabel because he was fired by the Titans, a team now led by general manager Ran Carthon, who used to work with Peters in San Fran.

“The Commanders passed on Vrabel because of (Titans GM) Ran Carthon,” the exec said. “He fired (Vrabel). Adam Peters was not going to hire the coach that his friend just fired. That’s how this works sometimes.”

To be clear, the decision to fire Vrabel was owner Amy Adams Strunk’s and not Carthon’s, at least based on everything we know about the situation.

This report comes on the heels of Russini shedding some light on why Vrabel didn’t land a head-coaching gig in this cycle.

“I don’t think there was a fit for him,” Russini said on The Athletic Football Show. “I don’t think he sat in front of any owner who thought that his style was going to work for what they were looking for…”

“I had a GM at the Senior Bowl who mentioned to me Vrabel’s physical build,” she added. “That he’s a very large human being. And can be very intimidating to people in an organization that are going to be part of these decisions. And that is a factor.”

It was thought that Vrabel would land another job quickly, but clearly teams around the NFL didn’t value him the same way.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

NFL reporter explains why Mike Vrabel didn’t get hired for HC job

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini gave insight into why Mike Vrabel didn’t land a head-coaching job this offseason.

When the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel, it was thought he would be unemployed for a very brief amount of time. In fact, some (myself included, admittedly) thought the Titans could get something for him in a trade.

Instead, Vrabel didn’t land any of the other seven head-coaching gigs, which led many to wonder why after he was so highly touted in the media.

Well, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini shed some light on why in a recent spot on The Athletic Football Show (H/T James Foster of No Flags Film).

Russini said she thinks there simply wasn’t a fit for him because of his style, while also adding that, believe it or not, his physical size may have played a role in his inability to get another job.

“I don’t think there was a fit for him,” Russini said. “I don’t think he sat in front of any owner who thought that his style was going to work for what they were looking for…”

“I had a GM at the Senior Bowl who mentioned to me Vrabel’s physical build,” she added. “That he’s a very large human being. And can be very intimidating to people in an organization that are going to be part of these decisions. And that is a factor.”

You can check out the entire clip of Russini’s comments below.

Now I’ve really heard it all.

I would venture to guess that the biggest problem Vrabel faced was the fact that he’s more of an old-school coach when it comes to his philosophy on offense.

But he can also be very abrasive and stingy, two qualities that don’t make for the best head coach in this day and age when collaboration is becoming more and more important to teams.

Vrabel garnered interviews with three teams during this most recent cycle, with the list including the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

NFL coach roundup: No head coach jobs left for Bill Belichick

All of the NFL’s head coach openings have been filled and Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel remain available.

The NFL’s final two head coach openings have been filled.

The Seattle Seahawks are hiring Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and the Washington Commanders are hiring Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their head coaches.

That means there are no head coach jobs available for Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel. It’s a surprising development, but both coaches should land on their feet with time.

A dream scenario for a team like the Denver Broncos might be bringing in one of Belichick or Vrabel as a defensive coordinator, but that seems unlikely. The Broncos appear to be moving forward with Vance Joseph as their DC, and Belichick will presumably take a year hiatus from coaching, similar to what Sean Payton did in 2022.

Speaking of DC jobs, there’s good news on that front for Denver.

Broncos defensive backs coach Christian Parker interviewed for DC openings with the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers, but the Pats (DeMarcus Covington) and Packers (Jeff Hafley) are expected to hire other candidates. That presumably means Parker won’t be leaving Denver.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Broncos are bringing in former New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael, likely in a senior assistant role.

Elsewhere on the coaching front, ex-Denver coach Vic Fangio parted with the Miami Dolphins in a lateral move to become the Philadelphia Eagles’ DC. And Joe DeCamillis, who won Super Bowl 50 as a coordinator with the Broncos, has been hired by South Carolina as their new special teams coordinator.

The Broncos have made one addition (Carmichael) to the coaching staff, but no coaches have been fired so far, at least not that we’re aware of. It appears that Sean Payton will bring back most of his 2023 staff in 2024.

Follow the Broncos Wire Podcast:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

11 candidates for Cowboys vacant defensive coordinator position

The Cowboys are in need of fresh perspective in the defensive coordinator role, but it may be a difficult fill. 11 candidates, both internal and external. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys are in a unique situation now. They are going to have to find a new defensive coordinator after the departure of Dan Quinn. Quinn became Washington’s new head coach, and will have a playground to work with that includes $63 million in cap space and the No. 2 overall selection in a QB-heavy draft class.

That Dallas needs to replace a coordinator isn’t a big deal. The fact that their head coach is going into the final year of his contract without an extension is what makes things difficult. Defensive assistants in positive environments, or with a bunch of opportunities, might hesitate to pack up their lives (and families) for what might be a one-and-done.

On the other hand, veteran defensive minds might look at this as an opportunity to audition for one of the most famous sports jobs in America. Theoretically, a coach with experience would be in line to be at worst an interim hire should things go bad for Mike McCarthy’s offense and an in-season firing happened. They’d at least get consideration for the gig were Dallas to move on from McCarthy at the end of the 2024 season.

And if there’s success? Then the DC would be in running for head coach job elsewhere in 2025. With that in mind, here’s a collection of names —both internal and external —that could be on Jerry Jones and company’s radar as the interview process convenes.

Mike Vrabel officially out of options for a head-coaching gig in 2024

With all vacancies filled, Mike Vrabel will have to wait until 2025 for another chance at a head-coaching gig.

When the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel, it was assumed he would find a job quickly. However, he’s officially going to have to wait another year for a head-coaching gig.

The last team standing in terms of needing a head coach was the Washington Commanders, but they have reportedly hired Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

There were a total of eight head-coach openings in this cycle, with one of them being the Titans. Vrabel had interviews with three of the other seven teams, including the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers and Atlanta Falcons.

I was among those who initially criticized owner Amy Adams Strunk for not exploring a trade for Vrabel, but clearly I was wrong and that was the right decision.

If no team was willing to hire Vrabel when he was a free agent, they certainly wouldn’t have traded premium draft capital for him.

And, not waiting on a trade prevented the Titans from missing out on some of the top options out there, one of which was the head coach the team ultimately hired, Brian Callahan.

This is not to say that Vrabel won’t eventually land another gig, but obviously we overestimated how desired he was around the league.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Do the Commanders have a mystery head coaching candidate?

Four of the initial eight candidates to interview with Washington remain available.

And then there was one.

After the Seattle Seahawks agreed to terms with Mike Macdonald, the former Ravens defensive coordinator, on Wednesday to become their new head coach, the Washington Commanders were the only remaining head coaching vacancy.

On Tuesday, the perceived top candidate, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, surprised everyone by withdrawing his name. Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who interviewed with Washington, was announced as returning to Houston. It’s unknown how serious of a candidate Slowik was for the Commanders.

Washington fans clamored for Macdonald. There wasn’t as much enthusiasm for Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Entering this week, we know that Washington has interviewed the following eight candidates:

  • Lions OC Ben Johnson (remaining in Detroit)
  • Lions DC Aaron Glenn
  • Ravens DC Mike Macdonald (Seattle)
  • Ravens AHC/DL coach Anthony Weaver
  • Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy
  • Texans OC Bobby Slowik (remaining in Houston)
  • Rams DC Raheem Morris (Atlanta)
  • Cowboys DC Dan Quinn (Cowboys)

So, if we go by this list, four candidates remain. How serious of a candidate is Bieniemy? Or was this a courtesy interview because he was in the organization last year?

By all accounts, Quinn, Weaver and Glenn are the final candidates. We’ve heard rave reviews about Quinn and Weaver, but if one of them is Washington’s guy, why haven’t they been hired?

What if there is another candidate we don’t know about? It’s not going to be Bill Belichick. What about Mike Vrabel? How about Dolphins OC Frank Smith? Is there someone else?

Could Peters be waiting to interview someone from Kansas City or San Francisco’s staff after the Super Bowl? The two logical candidates would be 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.

Since the Commanders are the only team remaining with a vacancy, they may not feel the urgency to get something done. But the new head coach will need to complete his coaching staff. And if Washington lands a defensive-minded coach — which looks like a certainty — it must land a quality offensive coordinator.

The Commanders could expand their search. However, that appears doubtful as all signs point to either Quinn, Glenn, or Weaver at this point.