During his one year of consulting with the Cleveland Browns, Mike Vrabel was kind of off the grid.
But now, as 2025’s NFL coaching carousel begins spinning in earnest, Vrabel is out there and already one of the most sought-after candidates of the cycle.
Which is why the New York Jets got an early start.
Mike Vrabel Interviews for Jets’ Head Coach Vacancy
Vrabel is one tough son of a gun.
During his 14-year NFL playing career — four seasons in Pittsburgh, eight in New England, and two in Kansas City — the linebacker was a terror, most notably in 2007, when he earned a Pro Bowl nod and finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
During his six-year NFL head coaching career — all in Tennessee — the former Ohio State Buckeye was also a terror, winning AP’s 2021 Coach of the Year award.
We have completed an interview with Mike Vrabel for our Head Coach position.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) January 3, 2025
After years of wobbliness on the sidelines — the last Jets coach to finish his New York tenure above .500 was the legendary Al Groh in 2000 (9-7) — Jets-watchers are desperate for some stability from their next leader of men.
Some want to give the 49-year-old total control:
The #jets have completed an interview with Mike Vrabel 👀 They are the first out of the teams to bring him in for an interview. Give this man the keys to the franchise pic.twitter.com/BOhKM4rL68
— NYFlyZone (@nyflyzone) January 3, 2025
Some want him to amp up the franchise’s credibility.
Good for the Jets. Good for football and Jets-Patriots rivalry storylines. And a chance for Vrabel to Parcells the Jets into a winning franchise. 🤷♂️
— clear_sky (@clear_sky617808) January 3, 2025
And some want Vrabel to ink his deal right now:
@woodyjohnson4 don't you dare let Vrabel out of the building without a contract! #jets
— Count DeMonet (@CLTHTX2012) January 3, 2025
Considering his Tennessee Titans stretch, the fans’ enthusiasm makes absolute sense.
The anti-Vrabel crowd will point to his just-above-.500 regular season winning percentage and his zero Super Bowls as two reasons for the Jets (or the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, or any other team in search of a head coach) to go in another direction. And that’s fair.
Or is it?
Before inking with the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid was a fantastic regular season coach in Philadelphia. But despite five trips to the NFC championship, he managed just one Super Bowl, that being Philly’s 2004 appearance in the big game in which the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the New England Patriots, 24-21.
Reid, however, has done pretty well at his second stop. Wherever Vrabel lands will be his second stop, and his best may be still ahead of him.
Vrabel is a no-nonsense guy, simultaneously pragmatic and positive, as borne out by a recent interview with The Athletic, in which he discussed the importance of the relationship between a head coach and a general manager:
“I believe that I can respectfully disagree, have a conversation [with the G.M.], and move on and get past it. I’m also not afraid to share my opinion and what I believe in, my convictions about things that relate to helping a football team win, building a team, or helping players.
“It’s a unique relationship, one that has to remain respectful at all times. I think that it always was. Are we going to disagree? Yeah, I hope that we do so that we can grow. But ultimately, somebody’s gotta be in charge.”