There’s always that “what could’ve been” moment in NFL head coaching hiring cycles if the first option wasn’t officially hired.
In the case of the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed Monday who would’ve been in place had the team moved in a different direction from Jim Harbaugh.
Mike Vrabel ‘Would Have Been the Guy’
Schefter went on “The Pat McAfee Show” to unveil that the Chargers’ head coach opening came down to two finalists: Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel.
If Harbaugh had stayed in Ann Arbor and led the national champion Michigan Wolverines into 2024, the former Tennessee Titans head coach would’ve been next up, Schefter says.
MORE: Jim Harbaugh Introduced as Chargers Head Coach
“I believe ‘Vrabes’ would’ve been the guy in L.A. if Harbaugh didn’t get the job. If Harbaugh got on a plane to Atlanta, I think Vrabel would’ve been the next guy the Chargers turn to,” Schefter said.
"I believe that Vrabel would've been the guy in Los Angeles if Harbaugh didn't get the job..
There's still two Head Coach openings..
I don't think it's likely but Bill Belichick is still out there" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/wmlwSvpOUw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 29, 2024
Vrabel interviewed for the open head coaching position before Los Angeles settled for the former San Diego quarterback. Per PFN’s head coach interview tracker, Vrabel sat down with three teams following his dismissal as Titans head coach:
- Atlanta Falcons: Vrabel interviewed on Wednesday, Jan. 24. Former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has since taken over the Falcons and returns to the franchise after handling interim duties in 2020.
- Carolina Panthers: The former Titans head coach trekked to Charlotte the following day after his Falcons interview. But the team has since turned to Dave Canales, who was the offensive coordinator of the Panthers’ NFC South rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Chargers: Vrabel’s interview was on Jan. 18. He was one of three former head coaches who interviewed with the Chargers. The third was former Stanford head coach and past Harbaugh assistant David Shaw.
Can Vrabel Still be an Effective Head Coach? Titans Insider Weighed in
Vrabel still has a chance to be a head coach for the 2024 season.
Currently, the Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks are yet to decide on who their new coaching leader will be. Vrabel hasn’t officially sat down with either team.
MORE: 2024 NFL Head Coach Interview Tracker
Are NFL teams shying away from the multiple Super Bowl-winning linebacker/tight end with the New England Patriots? ESPN Titans insider Turron Davenport revealed to Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob Show on Friday that Vrabel had refused to adjust to current NFL trends, which were ideas the organization presented to him.
“There are some who feel that he was the problem,” Davenport said to the hosts. “You look at some of the things that come from within the building, some people that I’ve talked to, they discussed how it was one of those things where he wasn’t willing to take on some of the new modern innovative things that the organization wanted to implement. So that was an issue.”
Davenport unveiled one more issue: Tennessee didn’t hire Vrabel’s pick for general manager, Ryan Cowden, after 2022. That led to more tension between Vrabel and the front office.
“The main thing that he has to make clear is that he’s not going to get into a power struggle for control of the roster. That’s the big thing,” Davenport said. ”That was something that was an ongoing issue from that point all the way up until a week and a half ago when (Vrabel) got fired. There was an acceptance issue with (new general manager) Ran Carthon. They got along, but that mix, it wasn’t going correctly.”
Davenport then dove into how Vrabel’s coaching philosophy didn’t always mesh with the Titans.
“I think, as a coach, he definitely is a really good coach from a technical standpoint, situation-wise. But the one thing also that came from within that building is just the emotional rollercoaster,” he said. “Where, as a coach, you have to be even-keeled. And apparently, in that building, there were times where that week after a loss was just miserable and people didn’t want to come to the building.”
Finally, Davenport described Vrabel as a coach with old-school philosophies that got “too old” with people and how his attitude “went sour” in certain parts of the locker room.
Despite detailing what he saw at the end of the Vrabel era, Davenport was willing to endorse Vrabel at his next head coaching stop. Perhaps he lands at one of the final remaining spots or awaits his next head coaching turn in 2025.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!
