Opportunities to appoint a “sure thing” as head coach are few and far between. Instead of hiring head coaches, teams frequently hope that some of the better coordinators or position coaches would work out. Finding a good head coach is difficult, and when one is found, teams are usually hesitant to part with them unless they feel like they’re getting something better elsewhere or have an obvious improvement in waiting. But with Mike Vrabel available, Josh Harris, the owner of the Washington Commanders, will have an opportunity to establish the tone right away with the team’s first head coach hiring.
Vrabel satisfies every requirement one might have for a potential head coach. He was the head coach of the Tennessee Titans for six seasons, going 54-45 overall, finishing over.500 in his first four seasons, and making three postseason visits, including one trip to the AFC Championship game in 2019. Although they went 13–21 in his final two seasons in Tennessee, Vrabel’s club was a contender for the AFC South title in 2022 and had surprising victories this season over the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars, which eliminated them from the postseason.
Tennessee fired Vrabel more because of owner Amy Adams Strunk’s desire to find a replacement who more closely matched general manager Ron Carthon’s vision than because of Vrabel’s performance. For the most part, Vrabel kept a rebuilding team competitive in the majority of their games.
Although Vrabel should be contacted by any team looking to fill a head coaching position, interest is mutual, and he will probably be able to choose his next coaching position. Though they are not in all that different of a scenario from the Titans, Harris and whoever he chooses to appoint as head of football operations would still need to convince Vrabel of his vision.
Washington has the draft picks and cap room to swiftly turn things around and shape the squad to the head coach’s identity since it is more concerned with the future than the present. That should entice anyone, even Vrabel, to take the job.
The circumstances in Foxborough could be a wild card in Washington and any team’s pursuit of Vrabel. Given that Vrabel played for the New England Patriots from 2001 to 2008, won three Super Bowls, and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in October of last year, it is likely that the team would be interested in signing him should head coach Bill Belichick decide to leave.
It will be difficult for any team to challenge New England for Vrabel’s services if the team is looking to replace its head coach. Until then, though, Washington’s hunt for a head coach should start with Vrabel.
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