The Tennessee Titans were one of many NFL teams who sacked their head coach last season, but it is the axing if Mike Vrabel that caught most by surprise.
Dianna Russini and Joe Rexrode writing in The Athletic, spoke of poor communication, misunderstandings and misinterpreted signals that led to Vrabel"s departure.
Russini was chatting on the latest episode of The Athletic Football, and shared insight into the affair.
"He called me the day after an aggregator took something I said that basically said Mike Vrabel is too fat to work," Russini told Pardon My Take when asked if a player or coach has ever gotten mad at her over her reporting.
"What I shared on [The Athletic Football Show] was that I had dinner with a GM at the Senior Bowl, and we had conversations about how bizarre this last coaching cycle was. And how crazy it was that Belichick and Vrabel didn’t have gigs. And I said ‘Why do you think that Mike didn’t get a job?’ He said ‘I think they needed a change there in Tennessee’ but in terms of the next opportunity, I think there’s a lot of people who are very intimidated by him. He walks into a room and he’s confident and he’s physically a big human being and it’s a little startling at first. Very normal, right? When I say this to you? … His hands are the size of your head."
Vrabel led the Titans to a 54-45 record and three playoff appearances and seemed set to earn another season at the very least to continue his good work in Tennessee.
"So when the aggregators took that and changed all this, you know, the way I said it, so that wasn’t great to hear from a not-too-happy head coach, to begin with… He didn’t call me after the piece we did on why he got fired. But the piece…calling him a little fat, he wasn’t too happy."
Vrabel had not landed a head coaching gig position this season but will be waiting in the wings, alongside the likes of Bill Belichick for an open spot as teams start unravelling as the 2024 season unfolds.
