Houston’s defensive co-ordinator in mix for Lions head coach job
Mike Vrabel is no stranger to Detroit Lions general manager Bob Quinn,
The 42-year-old Vrabel, who served as defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans this past season, was Quinn’s first interview for the club’s vacant head coaching post from outside the organization on Wednesday.
Vrabel spent eight seasons with the New England Patriots from 2001-08 and won three Super Bowls over that stretch with Quinn, who spent 16 years with New England.
This is Quinn’s first head coaching hire with the Lions after letting Jim Caldwell go on Monday after four seasons. Quinn held interviews on Tuesday with Teryl Austin and Jim Bob Cooter. Austin was the club’s defensive coordinator and Cooter the offensive coordinator under Caldwell.
While Vrabel has no head coaching experience, he is a familiar face for Quinn from their New England days and the Lions general manager admitted after letting Caldwell go that could play a factor in his next hire.
“It could factor in,” Quinn said. “For sure it could, but that’s why the interview process is what it is.”
Vrabel played 14 seasons at linebacker in the NFL with Pittsburgh, New England and Kansas City.
Vrabel began his coaching career at Ohio State University in 2011 before moving over to coach linebackers with Houston in 2014 under Bill O’Brien, who was on staff when he played in New England.
Vrabel was named defensive coordinator of the Texans in 2017. After allowing the fewest yards against in the NFL in 2016, the Texans allowed the most points in the league in 2017. Much of that had to do with eight defensive players finishing the season on injured reserve including defensive ends J.J. Watt and Christian Covington along with linebacker Whitney Mercilus.