The Tennessee Titans hired themselves a good ‘en in head coach Mike Vrabel. In four seasons, the Titans have yet to have a losing season under Vrabel, they made a run for the ages to the AFC Championship after the 2019 season, and they’re currently on a run of back-to-back AFC South titles. Certainly, there are several folks doing their jobs well since Vrabel took over (Jon Robinson, Derrick Henry…just to name a couple), and they deserve credit as a franchise for becoming one of the most stable and consistent in the NFL. But, Vrabel was the one holding the hardware at season’s end after winning ‘Coach of the Year’ honors.
When you talk to folks about what it is that has made Vrabel so great so early on in his head coaching career, you hear a number of things – he’s an alpha, he’s a vocal leader, or that he’s a natural “leader of men.” All of those things may be true, but “leader of men” is a bit of an oversimplification to me because there’s a lot that goes into earning that moniker. I would break it down into four pillars….things that we’ve learned about Vrabel through his press conferences, player interviews, former teammate interviews, etc.
Communication – Having a clear message and setting expectations within the organization does so much to simplify things for people. Vrabel is great at assessing opponents and delivering his keys each week. We’ve heard players and coaches alike talk about his clear messaging, and that is how you get people on the same page. That’s one of the base reasons teams jell or they don’t. I’m still hearing echoes of Kevin Byard talking about communication from 2020…
Preparation – Look at the playoff win in New England, for example. One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for success is to simply know the rules. But, it goes beyond just being smart about the rules. Preparedness is an identity. It’s getting guys ready for anything the NFL might throw at them…building a team culture that fosters learning, communication, and readiness…and working your ass off to see it through. No matter if you’re the 1st or 53rd man on the roster, you better be prepared to help the team on Sundays. That’s a reflection of Vrabel’s own work rate and savvy.
Genuinely caring – You can’t fake it, folks. People are going to see right through the bullshit. You have to be transparent, and you have to connect with people when you’re in a leadership role, or else the whole thing falls apart *cough*UrbanMeyer*cough*. We’ve heard several players cite a feeling of genuine respect and appreciation from Vrabel.
Accountability – Don’t do dumb shit that hurts the team. With transparency, good communication, and preparedness, you always know where you stand within this organization. If you don’t meet the standard, you’re not going to play. It’s hammering home the message that excellence and winning is still the expectation. But, you know that if you do the things you’re supposed to do, you shouldn’t have to worry.
These are things that lay the foundation for success. It’s not some complicated offensive scheme, spending massive amounts of money in free agency, or hitting on all of your draft picks. Those things help, sure, but the basis of success, and what Vrabel has done pretty damn well to me, is turning ambition into vision, and caring enough to help those who buy in along the way. It’s doing what’s necessary to get the team ready for anything while coming from a place of respect. That’s it – all other successes spiral out of that very basic principle that we’ve seen so many get wrong.
The thing that’s fascinating about just how Vrabel has built this foundation for greatness here in Nashville is that these are things that translate well in real life situations. That’s why I think he’s such an interesting guy to study. If he didn’t love ball so much, he could be leading people in a boardroom somewhere, he’d be a general somewhere in the military, maybe he’d even be a politician that people could believe in. He’s that type of guy. I know it sounds like I’m gushing a bit, and I’ve probably put myself on a “DO NOT ADMIT” list from Titans PR, but I think there’s a lot to learn from Mike Vrabel about how to run an organization, and how to best be an asset to your people…not just a boss.
As Outspoken Owen Reed and I capped off another fine summer of #OffseasonContent, we explored the many things that make Vrabel great on the latest episode of The Unofficial Titans Podcast. You can check that out below!
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Listen to “Ep. 109: What Makes Mike Vrabel Great” on Spreaker.Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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