The scouting reports for potential Chicago Bears head coaches continue. One common belief among many around the league is that the team may prefer to find somebody with experience. The franchise has not done much of that over the years. John Fox remains the only head coach the Bears have hired to run another NFL team in the Super Bowl era. If that is their chosen direction, Mike Vrabel is widely considered the best option. Let's examine why that would be.
Mike Vrabel would be the closest thing to Mike Ditka the Bears have seen.
Background:
Vrabel arrived in the NFL as a linebacker out of Ohio State, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1997. He later signed with the New England Patriots in 2001 and became a key member of their defense, helping them win three Super Bowls over the next four years. He also had a fourth as part of their undefeated 2007 teams before falling short against the Giants. Vrabel finished out a glittering 14-year career in Kansas City before returning to Ohio State to begin coaching. He quickly used that as a springboard for a job with the Houston Texans, becoming their defensive coordinator in 2017.
That ended up getting him the head coaching job in Tennessee. Over the next six seasons, he led the Titans to four winning records, three playoff berths, two division titles, and an AFC championship berth. His time there was characterized by dominant rushing attacks, quarterback Ryan Tannehill's resurgence, and tough defenses. Ultimately, two down years and a GM change led to his dismissal.
Mentors:
There is no question that Mike Vrabel has had plenty of noteworthy coaches guiding him over the years. It started with Hall of Famer Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh, followed by Hall of Famer Bill Belichick in New England. A brief stint with Urban Meyer at OSU followed before he joined old friend Bill O'Brien in Houston. Vrabel is used to success throughout his career, and it's not hard to see why. Greatness has touched him almost everywhere he's gone.
Pros:
- Alpha male. Known for having a commanding presence in the locker room and on the sideline.
- Effective at instilling discipline. His teams weren't known for making lots of mistakes.
- Great motivator. Always seemed able to find the right switch to flip for his players.
- Can develop young players. Six names drafted by Titans made a Pro Bowl under his watch.
Cons:
- Defensive coach. That will make maintaining offensive staff continuity difficult.
- Has never developed a young quarterback. Malik Willis and Will Levis never went anywhere.
- His hard-ass style doesn't tend to have longevity in today's NFL.
- He hasn't demonstrated a keen eye for talent based on later Titans drafts.
Comparison: Marty Schottenheimer
Schottenheimer was a model of consistency throughout his excellent career. His teams were always known for being tough, running the ball well, and playing great defense. He always went to the playoffs if you gave him a good quarterback. Unfortunately, he had a bad reputation for being risk-averse and coming up short in the postseason. That describes Vrabel pretty well at this stage of his career. His teams were very good when they had a solid quarterback. Unfortunately, his old school approach never worked against the better teams in the AFC come playoff time.
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