In what is shaping up to be a relatively sparse cycle of coaching candidates, former Tennessee Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel seems poised to land another gig in 2025. Plenty of openings are likely to need filling, with a handful of teams already firing their head coach in-season.

Vrabel is a good ball coach, he proved as much in his time with Tennessee. But he’s a defensive CEO type, who just so happens to be one of the biggest people in the league; both physically and in terms of his personality. He’s prickly, he naturally takes charge of whatever room he’s in, and he has a shaky record when it comes to collaboration.

Put simply: he isn’t a plug-and-play fit for every organization. Compatibility matters a lot here. So let’s take a look at 6 teams that could be a potential match, and evaluate how strong a connection it would be.

Cleveland Browns

It’s important to note: this article is about the fit Vrabel would be for each of these teams, and not necessarily about how likely the job is to be open in the first place. We start with Cleveland because, well, Vrabel is already on the payroll.

As the Browns’ season of once again failing with a $240M troublesome quarterback has taken it’s course, the job security of everyone involved has come into question. I think their current head coach, Kevin Stefanski, is one of the best in the business and they’d be fools to fire the guy. Luckily for him, Browns ownership signaled their agreement with this sentiment earlier this week. So I don’t think it’s a job likely to come open.

But if things changed and the job was available, would Mike Vrabel make much sense?

I think he would. This is a franchise that is completely hamstrung by the horrendous decision they made to give Deshaun Watson the moon and the stars in 2022. Their financial situation is a nightmare. This isn’t a team that is going to have the financial flexibility to spend big on QB again anytime soon, and they haven’t been nearly bad enough with Kevin Stefanski yet to be in position to draft one either. Who could they use to steer the ship through this storm?

Someone like Mike Vrabel. He's never had a "tractor" QB in his head coaching career. He's done more than his fair share with good "trailer" guys, and this is what Cleveland is almost certainly going to have to do the next couple of seasons. Embrace the blue collar lifestyle on offense for a bit, and be killers on defense. Jim Schwartz is already the DC in Cleveland, and he's somebody Vrabel is aligned with in terms of team vision. The transition from Stefanski to Vrabel, though not happening for 2025, would be smooth.

Chicago Bears

If you ask Vegas, this is the most likely landing spot for Vrabel this spring. And I don't buy it one bit.

Vrabel to Chicago makes very little sense. For starters, lets review a fundamental truth about the way NFL franchises transition between top executives. Teams move on from decision-makers like people move on from rocky relationships: the pendulum tends to swing all the way in the other direction. You aim for what you didn’t have, because you think it will bring you happiness!

This is how owners and GM's choose their new coaches. And Eberflus to Vrabel is not a significant change of style! They’ll find an offensive wunderkind to pair with Caleb Williams, whose success is what the future of this franchise is wholly dependent on, and they’ll be ecstatic about it.

Not only does it not make sense from a styles standpoint, but Vrabel would be answering to multiple executive overseeing him. I don't see him vibing with that! The McCaskey family, owners of the franchise, have a GM in Ryan Poles and a President of Football Operations in Kevin Warren, who they apparently adore. That's too many cooks in the kitchen for ol' Mikey Vrabes. It's just a strange fit.

Dallas Cowboys

Do you really think I would write the above paragraph on Vrabel not wanting to answer to the people in Chicago, and then turn around and suggest a marriage with Jerry Jones would make any sense?

Of course not. This one would require one of two immovable objects to magically change. Maybe Mike Vrabel could suddenly be game for answering to the most notorious Owner/GM/publicity hound/octogenarian all rolled into one! But have you ever met Mike? I have. This dog doesn't learn new tricks that big.

And speaking of old dogs (and boy, do I mean old), consider how Jerry hires and fires his coaches. He seeks out beta types. He hires people he not only trusts, but likes. He becomes friends with his head ball coaches. And once you're in with Jerry, he's slow to pull the trigger. Jason Garrett got ten seasons before he was finally fired! How many of those were spent with everybody not named Jerry Jones thinking the guy should be gone? At least three of them? More?

Now Mike McCarthy, who some never had faith in in the first place, is finishing year four. And Jerry has been relatively steadfast in his public support for him all year, suggesting at one point there's no reason why a contract extension should necessarily be off the table.

Vrabel isn't going to work for somebody with the control that Jerry wields with a diamond grip. And Jerry isn't going to suddenly be cool with hiring a coach he has to hand his power over to. It's a ridiculous match.

Las Vegas Raiders

Hear me out: I think this may sneakily be the best situation for Vrabel of them all. I've not heard much about this potential connection, perhaps because the imminent firing of Antonio Pierce isn't completely a certainty at this point. I'd argue it should be, and Vrabel should be near the top of Vegas's list.

The connection of Colorado QB Shadeur Sanders to the Raiders, his rumored desire to play in Vegas, and the prospect of Deion following him to coach at the NFL level is the natural headline for the future of the Raiders. It does make sense, whether I think it would actually work out or not.

But what if the Raiders don't land Sanders in this draft? The Giants sure seem poised to get the #1 overall pick and dictate terms if they continue to bottom-out. So what happens then? What, besides a QB, could Vegas really use?

Leadership, clear direction, and culture. This is a franchise lacking all three. And Mike Vrabel, for all of his foibles, brings those things. He can be for Vegas what he was for the Titans: somebody to bring them along as a serious franchise. Somebody to take them to the next level. All the way to the top may be a little bit of a lofty goal, especially in a division with Patrick Mahomes (amongst other ascending teams), but taking a clear step forward organizationally is very doable. and Vrabel can do that.

Oh and by the way, perhaps the Raiders do land Sanders as their new franchise QB but his father simply pulls his strings from Colorado. Who would you want in charge who isn't going to put up with any Lavar Ball-style meddling? Mike Vrabel would be my pick to snuff out any nonsense.

Jacksonville Jaguars

This is the clickbait-y Titans doomsday scenario. What if Vrabel went back to the AFC South and coached for a third team there?!

It's all but a certainty that this job will be open, but I don't think Vrabel will be a top candidate on their list. However, it's not the craziest match on paper.

In terms of rebounding styles, Vrabel is a textbook pendulum swing away from a coach like Doug Pederson: leaving softer offensive coaching behind for harder defensive/CEO coaching. That box is checked. And the job isn't the least desirable in the world. You have a star receiver, some strong rushers, a star CB, some decent RBs (at least on paper), and Trevor Lawrence is an NFL starter. Their new coach will have something to work with when he accepts the job.

The primary reason I don't see this happening is because of GM Trent Baalke. Unbelievably, all of the latest reporting is indicating that Baalke has ingratiated himself with the Khan family, who owns the team. Should they be considering keeping him? No way. No no no no no. But apparently, they are thinking about it! And this is a man who once won a power struggle with Jim Harbaugh, which led to him leaving the NFL entirely. He is the league's most prominent tick. He digs in and dictates terms. That's not a relationship I see working with Vrabel one bit.

Cincinnati Bengals

We can keep this one brief, because I really don't see the Bengals firing Zac Taylor. His offense hasn't been the problem, after all. Defensive personnel is the biggest reason why Cincinnati is where they are right now.

But the public sees him as on the hot seat nonetheless, so let's consider what kind of fit Vrabel would be with the Bengals. And the answer is, a pretty great one I think!

First of all: Ohio. People from Ohio, for some God-forsaken reason, love returning to Ohio.

More importantly, this is the exact kind of dramatic pivot you make if you decide to fire Taylor this year. In the same way the Titans fired Vrabel and moved on to Brian Callahan (Taylor's good friend and former employee), the Bengals could easily move on from Taylor for a Vrabel type.

You also aren't particularly worried about his lack of offensive prowess, considering Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase are already on the roster. You can make it work with those guys under any competent coordination. Vrabel could also be afforded more power in the Bengals franchise than most others. It would check a lot of boxes for him, and would probably be his top pick if it came open.

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