Mike Vrabel To Interview For Rams’ Head Coaching Job

Since he left Ohio State and joined Bill O’Brien’s first coaching staff in Houston three years ago, Mike Vrabel has done exceptional work as the Texans’ linebackers coach. You need only look at the progress players like Whitney Mercilus, Benardrick McKinney, and Jadeveon Clowney have made under his tutelage to see that. Many Texans fans hoped (and continue to hope) that Vrabel might be tabbed as Romeo Crennel’s successor as Houston’s defensive coordinator whenever Crennel decides to retire.

That dream, however, is contingent upon fortuitous timing, and it’s not like other teams aren’t interested in Vrabel. Recall that Vrabel interviewed for and was offered the gig as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator last year, only for Vrabel to turn down that promotion to stay in Houston. Now at least one NFL team is interested in speaking with Vrabel about an even bigger promotion.

While it’s not typical for NFL teams to hire position coaches with no coordinating experience as head coaches, it has happened before (the Ravens hiring John Harbaugh, for example). Where Vrabel ranks on the Rams’ list of head coaching candidates is anyone’s guess, as is the question of whether Vrabel would want to work for Stan Kroenke, but at the very least, Vrabel will get valuable experience interviewing for the vacancy. Best of luck to him in that endeavor.