The Titans introduce former Texans defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel as their new head coach.
Texans’ former DC says winning titles brings respect
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee general manager Jon Robinson got his NFL start as a scout with the New England Patriots, the same team his new head coach Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowl rings with as a linebacker.
Yes, it seems like the Titans are trying to implement the Patriot Way in Music City.
Vrabel, who was the Texans’ defensive coordinator for one season after coaching the linebackers for three, said that’s what it looks like — until the Titans win big themselves.
“You have to be able to win championships before people start giving you ways to do things,” Vrabel said Monday as the team introduced him. “So that’ll be our ultimate goal. … Until we can win a championship doing that, there’s not going to be this Titan Way. It will be talked about in the building. But people from outside the building, they won’t believe in us, they won’t have faith in us until you win.”
The Titans agreed to terms with Vrabel, 42, on Saturday, just five days after firing Mike Mularkey coming off the franchise’s first playoff win in 14 years.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said Robinson and Vrabel have known each other for years. She also likes Vrabel’s experience and vision for building on back-to-back 9-7 seasons.
“I believe he will do everything he can to bring this town a championship,” Strunk said.
Vrabel started his NFL career in Pittsburgh under coach Bill Cowher before signing with New England under coach Bill Belichick, and he finished in Kansas City. In 2011, he joined the staff at his alma mater, Ohio State, coaching linebackers and then defensive linemen.
He said nobody’s ever really ready to be a head coach for the first time in the NFL, though Vrabel feels as ready as he can be thanks to his doctorate degree in coaching he picked up working with some of the best in the game.
“There will be things that I take from New England, from Pittsburgh, from Ohio State, from Houston,” Vrabel said. “I mean, there will be things that I take from everywhere. You draw on these experiences just like everybody else would in life. … The nice thing is now there’s things that I didn’t like that Billy did; I get to change them. So there’s things I like that he did; I get to use them.”
The Titans interviewed three people, with Vrabel first to meet with them Thursday. The Titans also interviewed Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who was hired as the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Monday, and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur.