Kelly: Dolphins Should Be Full-court Pressing Mike Vrabel for Defensive Coordinator Role
The music has finally stopped playing, and the NFL’s game of musical chairs with head coach openings has finally come to a conclusion.
Dan Quinn’s anointment as the Washington Commanders’ next head coach means all eight NFL head coach vacancies have been filled, and one of the
candidates many NFL insiders felt was a layup to land one of those jobs, former NFL player and coach Mike Vrabel, received a snub this cycle.
That snub might be exactly what the Miami Dolphins need because Vrabel, who has a 54-45 record in his six seasons as head coach of the Titans, would be a phenomenal fit as Vic Fangio’s replacement as Miami’s next defensive coordinator.
Nothing against the other candidates, especially former head coaches Brandon Staley and Leslie Frazier, but nobody would come to the Dolphins with the resume of Vrabel, a three-time champion as a player who happens to be the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year.
Vrabel could bring physicality with him
Not only does Vrabel have head coaching experience, which should be a prerequisite for a young head coach like Mike McDaniel, but he coaches a physical brand of football that is seemingly missing from the Dolphins (offense and defense), and could help McDaniel’s team take that critical next step.
During his tenure with the Houston Texans as an assistant and defensive coordinator, and during his run with the Titans, Vrabel’s teams were known for their tough, physical style of football. Marrying that with McDaniel’s innovation, which is often viewed as finesse, could create a magical formula.
