Less than a week after the departure of Mike Mularkey, the Titans have found his replacement in Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel, the team announced Saturday. 
The former Patriots linebacker is set to be introduced at a press conference on Monday. Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed. Vrabel becomes the 19th head coach in franchise history and the fourth since 2011.
Vrabel met with team general manager Jon Robinson and instantly hit it off, according to Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk. “You could see their connection right away from the history they have with one another – seeing the game in a similar way and talking the same language. Mike has a commanding presence and a deep knowledge for how he will attack this head coaching opportunity,” she said.
The chemistry should come as no surprise, as both were members of the Patriots organization –Vrabel as a player and Robinson as a scout.
“This is an incredible opportunity and one I have been preparing for my entire football life,” Vrabel said. “I am excited to get to work & that work starts now. Everything we do is going to be geared towards winning & being physical.”
Vrabel, 42, served one season as Houston’s defensive coordinator after beginning his NFL coaching career as a linebackers coach with the Texans for three seasons. The 14-year NFL veteran won three Super Bowls as a player, spending the majority of his career in New England. He earned one Pro Bowl and one First Team All-Pro selection (2007).
Despite being highly thought of around the league, Vrabel’s first season as defensive coordinator did not jump off the page. Houston’s defense finished last in points allowed, middle of the pack in yards and in the bottom 10 in sacks.
At the outset of the search, Robinson made it clear he wanted a “leader of men.” It was thought Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was that leader, but Vrabel wowed Robinson in their meeting on Wednesday and the team never met with McDaniels. The team also interviewed Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur, and Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
Wasn’t Tennessee saying they were looking for a more offensively-minded coach to get the best from Mariota?
Matt Lafleur seemed like the better fit
Questionable move to say the least
Guess as long as you give the GM warm and fuzzy feelings you got the job. It’s like good ole boy mentality
Another coaching gig, Another scramble to capture just a piece of Patriots magic.
At this rate more than 50% of the league will have a Patriots alumnist as either a HC or a GM by 2020.
I was thinking the same thing. Does this count as part of the “Belichick Coaching tree?”
Not strictly, he played on the Pats and then coached under former Patriots OC O’Brian so that’s as close as it gets…but you also add in all the other Former Patriot execs now running teams and it’s getting tougher and tougher for Patriot haters.
Hope he has better success than the other coordinators that left NE
He may have been a player but hopefully he won’t follow in the Romeo, Weiss, McDaniel success as a head coach
Well he never coached with the Patriots as a coordinator or anything so I do not see the relevance to other NE coordinators or coaches who moved on
I said he never coached there but stated I hope he had more success since everyone wants to claim this as another patriots hire
Good move. now get Filippo or LeFleur as OC.
I honestly thought they needed an offensive minded coach to help with Marcus. They are going to need a good OC to help him.
Also Vrable was never a coordinator for NE so I’m not sure why people are saying they hope he is better then other NE coordinators
Because NE fans want to link him to the Belichick and patriots tree
Definitely don’t like this move and I’m not even a Titans fan but as a fan of Mariota I think this isn’t a good move.
Maybe a panic move by Tennessee. Too early to criticize it.
Not even sure how you can label it a bad move with no results to criticize.
Too many arm chair GM’s in the world.
Bill o’Brien branched from the Belichick coaching tree and Vrabel branched from Bill OB. Have you ever seen a family tree?
If I was going to hire a dc I would have hired the eagles dc