Former Titans Coach Mike Vrabel Could Have a New Gig with an Old Friend — at Wisconsin
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NASHVILLE — Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who was shut out of seven NFL coaching vacancies in the past month, could be working in football as early as this spring — in Wisconsin, with an old friend.
Luke Fickell, head coach at the University of Wisconsin, told ESPN Wisconsin that Vrabel, his former college roommate, teammate, and coaching colleague, could be helping out the Badgers this year.
“I talked to (Vrabel), I think, on Saturday, and we hadn’t communicated for a week or so, just because the process was going. And honest to God, he sounded like a new man. I’m not sure exactly if this was his choice or what it is that the future really looks like, but I know that we’re gonna have a visitor here (in Madison) that’s gonna spend a little bit of time hopefully around us. You know, coming in the spring and some things like that. See how much, how deep we can get involved with my buddy.”
Fickell affirmed his commitment to bring Vrabel onto his staff in whatever role works best.
“I love Mike and want him around as much as possible,” Fickell told ESPN. “I want to see how much he’d like to be around, in the spring for sure. And we’ll go from there.”
Fickel and Vrabel were roommates and teammates at Ohio State in the 1990s. Fickell, then interim head coach at Ohio State, hired Vrabel in 2011 to coach linebackers right after Vrabel’s 14-year NFL playing career ended. They also worked together on the defensive staff at Ohio State for Urban Meyer in 2012-13.
Vrabel had a 54-45 record in six seasons coaching the Titans. Despite consecutive losing seasons that led to his firing, Vrabel is a former NFL Coach of the Year and was considered a highly-regarded candidate for another head coaching job. He had interviews with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers.
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