Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has always been considered one of the better head coaches in the NFL since taking the reins in Nashville in 2018.
However, Vrabel really shined in 2021, cementing himself among the league’s best.
Despite seeing an insane amount of injuries that forced the Titans to field an NFL record 91 players over the course of the season, Tennessee still managed to finish atop the AFC South and conference as the No. 1 seed.
For his impressive efforts, Vrabel was rightly awarded the AP Coach of the Year award.
Looking ahead to 2022, Pro Football Focus’ Conor McQuiston ranks Vrabel as the No. 8 head coach in the NFL, which fell in the “good coaches” tier.
Vrabel is at times maligned for his reliance on the running game and star running back Derrick Henry, but the results suggest that it works on the macro level. The performance of his offensive units has actually been his calling card, as he’s been a part of only average defensive results.
When it comes to McQuiston’s mention of Vrabel’s reliance on his star player in Derrick Henry, it’s important to note that talking point was blown sky-high during the 2021 season, as Henry wasn’t available for half of it due to injury.
Overall, Vrabel has overseen four winning seasons, including three playoff appearances and a trip to the AFC Championship Game, and a pair of division titles.
Vrabel no doubt has his faults and his secrecy with injuries and other things can be frustrating, but he’s a damn good head coach and the Titans were wise to lock him and general manager Jon Robinson up for the long haul back in February.