The Dallas Cowboys are looking for a new defensive coordinator after Dan Quinn left to become the next Washington Commanders head coach. Mike Vrabel, the former Tennessee Titans head coach, has surfaced as a prospective replacement contender.
Vrabel, like Quinn, is a former head coach seeking to increase his worth. For an assistant, there is no greater coordinator spotlight than that in Dallas. Patrik Walker of DallasCowboys.com says Vrabel and former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley are among the top replacement prospects.
“That said, names like Brandon Staley, Mike Vrabel and Ron Rivera would enter the discussion, all of whom were dismissed as head coaches this offseason and who are in dire need of rebuilding their brand — precisely as Quinn was when he and the Falcons divorced under unpleasant circumstances three seasons ago,” Walker wrote in an article published on February 1, 2024, with the title “IMPACT: Fallout of Quinn joining Commanders.”
Vrabel may be overqualified to be the Cowboys defensive coordinator, but the NFL coaching carousel is finished with no head coaching chairs remaining. The former Titans coach is a three-time Super Bowl champion from his playing days as a New England Patriots linebacker. Vrabel is also a former All-Pro and Pro Bowler.
His coaching resume is also impressive leading the Titans to four straight winning seasons before the team’s struggles over the last two seasons. One of Vrabel’s crowning accomplishments was leading Tennessee to the AFC Championship during the 2019 season.
Vrabel was also voted Coach of the Year after the Titans finished 12-5 in 2021. The only disadvantage for Vrabel is that Dallas may repeat this search in a year if he secures another head coaching position.
“If the Cowboys hire Vrabel, they would have their defensive coordinator for 2024 and potentially their head coach for 2025 and beyond, if things don’t go right next season,” The Athletic’s Jon Machota and Saad Yousuf reported in a February 1 post headed, “Who will be the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator? There are eight alternatives for replacing Dan Quinn.
