Mike Vrabel interviewing for New York Jets coaching job

The New York Jets (4-12) are interviewing Mike Vrabel for their head coach opening on Friday at the team’s Florham Park facility, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Vrabel’s contract with the Cleveland Browns (3-13) expired this week, making him available to interview in-person.

The 49-year-old served as a coaching and personnel consultant for the Browns this season under head coach Kevin Stefanski. He spent the previous six seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans (3-13), where he had success.

Vrabel went 54-45 in Tennessee, winning two AFC South titles and making three consecutive playoff appearances from 2019-21. Vrabel went 2-2 in the postseason, leading the Titans to the AFC Championship Game in 2019. The Titans fired Vrabel following a 6-11 campaign in 2023.

Vrabel interviewed for multiple head coaching vacancies this past offseason, most notably with the Los Angeles Chargers (10-6) and Atlanta Falcons (8-8). Other teams had an interest in bringing in Vrabel as their defensive coordinator, which he wasn’t keen on. Rather than joining college roommate Luke Fickell at Wisconsin as a consultant on his coaching staff or taking an off year to jump into the sports media landscape, Vrabel instead found a home in Cleveland.

Several NFL teams pursuing Mike Vrabel

Being in Cleveland was a positive experience for Vrabel. But now, he wants back on the sidelines. Several teams will go after Vrabel, the Jets being one of them. New York had Super Bowl aspirations this season with Aaron Rodgers back under center and a roster full of young talent. The Jets, however, have been a mess offensively and have regressed defensively following the dismissal of head coach Robert Saleh earlier this season.

Vrabel brings a reputation for being a no-nonsense coach and would be tasked with helping New York snap its 14-year playoff drought.

“There’s got to be clear communication with ownership, so that we understand as coaches what the expectations are,” Vrabel told Rosenblatt. “That’s so we can explain to them what’s reasonable, what we can do, what we probably can do and what we’re going to try to do — or die trying. I want to have a structure in place that people see the game the same way I do from an X’s and O’s standpoint, from a personnel standpoint, with team-building. We would hopefully have that alignment, which is critical.

“And I would like to be able to say that there’s a quarterback that you feel like you can win with — or that there’s a path to find the one that you can win with.”

The Jets previously interviewed former Carolina Panthers (4-12) and Washington Commanders (11-5) head coach Ron Rivera for their vacancy.