Titans kick off coaching search with Vrabel, Wilks interviews
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans kicked off their search for a new head coach Thursday with a pair of interviews — both with defensive coordinators who never have been NFL head coaches.
The Titans confirmed they interviewed the Texans’ Mike Vrabel and Carolina’s Steve Wilks. Tennessee is looking to replace Mike Mularkey, who was fired Monday after he went 21- 22 and won the franchise’s first playoff game in 14 years.
Vrabel, 42, who also has interviewed with Detroit and Indianapolis, never has been a head coach at any level. He is coming off his first season as defensive coordinator for the Texans. Vrabel played 14 years in the NFL with Pittsburgh, New England (where he won three Super Bowl titles) and Kansas City before going into coaching. He started coaching in 2011 at Ohio state, his alma mater.
Vrabel went to Houston in 2014 and coached linebackers with the Texans for three seasons before becoming coordinator. General manager Jon Robinson gave little indication of what he’s looking for in the man who will be the Titans’ fourth head coach in eight seasons and third in quarterback Marcus Mariota’s fourth season.
“Leader of men,” Robinson said of what he wants in a new head coach.
Wilks has been a head coach only in college at Savannah State in 1999. His first season as defensive coordinator with the Panthers was 2017, but he has coached with Chicago, San Diego and Carolina, which he joined in 2012. He was assistant head coach in 2015 and 2016.
Vikings’ Sendejo limited in drills
Minnesota Vikings safety Andrew Sendejo is working his way back from a concussion that forced him out of the previous game.
Sendejo took part in a limited portion of practice for the second consecutive day after a hit to the head from New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas knocked him to the turf and out of the game. The Vikings beat the Saints to advance to Sunday’s NFC Championship Game at Philadelphia.
Wide receiver Adam Thielen also was a limited participant at practice after being held out the day before because of a lower back injury.
Wide receiver Michael Floyd didn’t practice because of an illness. Another backup — defensive tackle Shamar Stephen — was held out for the second consecutive day with knee and ankle injuries.
Steelers select Fichtner as OC
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t look very far for offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s replacement,
promoting longtime quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner to the position, four days after Pittsburgh’s season ended with a divisional round playoff loss to Jacksonville. The Steelers chose not to renew Haley’s contract, opening the door for Fichtner to take over one of the league’s most dynamic offenses. Fichtner, 54, last called plays while serving as offensive coordinator at Memphis from 2001-06. He joined Pittsburgh’s coaching staff in 2007 as one of coach Mike Tomlin’s initial hires. Fichtner spent three seasons as wide receivers coach before becoming the quarterbacks coach in 2010 . ...
Steve Sarkasian will return as Atlanta’s offensive coordinator despite a decline in production in his debut 2017 season. Sarkasian has been the target of
criticism after the Falcons lost at Philadelphia in the divisional round of the playoffs last week and fell short of a return trip to the Super Bowl. After leading the league in scoring in 2016, the Falcons fell to 15th this season. Sarkasian was hired from Alabama after Kyle Shanahan took the job as San Francisco’s coach . ...
Former Oakland head coach Tom Cable is returning to the Raiders to coach the offensive line for new coach Jon Gruden. Cable, 53, coached the Raiders for three seasons from 2008-10 and had a record of 17-27. He had been the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Seattle since 2011 until he was fired last week by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Also, Edgar Bennett was named wide receivers coach and Jim O’Neil