The Dallas Cowboys may hire former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel as their next defensive coordinator. Dallas is looking for a new DC after Dan Quinn was traded to the Washington Commanders. Vrabel sounds like an interesting name since he is not expected to take the head coaching job this year. For many around the league, it's shocking that he and Bill Belichick will likely lose their head coaching jobs next season.
However, there's still a chance Vrabel will come to Dallas to take over the Cowboys' defense. There are reports that Belichick will likely take a break before finding his next franchise as head coach. There were expectations that he would become the new coach of the Atlanta Falcons, but negotiations did not progress. However, Vrabel could play safety as a member of the Dallas Cowboys this season.
This will likely be Mike McCarthy's final year as head coach with the Cowboys. Vrabel is in the game long-term, potentially helping the Cowboys' defense sneak in the next head coach in 2025. This is just speculation that he can play, but even as a DC he could increase his value on the team. Like Quinn, Vrabel wants to get his name out there again, and his coordinator job is the perfect spotlight for him.
Many Tennessee Titans players are still shocked by the team's move on from Vrabel. While Dallas interviews Ron Rivera and Mike Zimmer, you could look up Vrabel if you're not interested.
Dallas Cowboys could hire Mike Vrabel as next defensive coordinator
He might get a second chance
Vrabel may be overqualified for the defensive coordinator job, but there are no openings for head coaching jobs in the NFL. The former Titans coach also won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. He knows just about everything about how defenses work from his experience playing linebacker during his playing days. Vrabel is a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler.
This does not hide the fact of the impressive career he has on his coaching resume. He led the Titans to four consecutive winning seasons, but his final two seasons were a struggle. Vrabel helped lead Tennessee to the 2019 AFC Championship. He was also named Coach of the Year after the Titans posted a 12-5 record in the 2021 season.
Some say there are downsides to this hiring. If McCarthy takes over as defensive coordinator in 2024, he could become the next head coach if McCarthy does not receive an extension. But that's not a bad thing. If all goes well, Vrabel could help the Cowboys reach their first NFC Championship since 1995. Dallas has the right spice on defense and could decide on Vrabel to be their next chef.
That's if they have no interest in Rivera or Zimmer, which seems unlikely. But imagine if Vrabel can bring the same mentality he had in 2021, it might end up looking like a different Cowboys team.
What's next for Mike Vrabel?
Despite having eight head coaching jobs available during the 2024 cycle, Vrabel did not land with a new team. Confusing reports emerged that Vrabel's size was a factor in his not being hired as head coach. This should not be the case as many of the top candidates had repeated interviews with the team this year. Whatever the reason for Vrabel not being hired, the Cowboys may still have him in mind.
