Mike Vrabel Completes Interview for Bears HC Job amid Patriots, Raiders Rumors

One of the biggest names on the NFL's ongoing coaching carousel has officially interviewed with the Chicago Bears.

Chicago announced Wednesday it completed an interview with Mike Vrabel for its head-coaching vacancy:

Vrabel is a notable candidate given his resume as a former New England Patriots player and head coach of the Tennessee Titans, and he has also been linked to the openings with the Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders in addition to this interview with the Bears.

To say the NFC North team is leaving no stone unturned during this process would be an understatement.

As Jared Dubin and Garrett Podell of CBS Sports noted, Chicago has interviewed or will interview double-digit candidates for the open coaching position. Many of those candidates are the expected names such as Vrabel, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.

However, there are also some other headline names, including former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, former Stanford head coach David Shaw, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

That Vrabel earned an interview, especially with that long of a list of candidates, is anything but a surprise.

After all, he was the head coach of the Titans for six seasons from 2018 through 2023 and finished with a winning overall record at 54-45. He also reached the playoffs three straight years during that tenure, including when he led the team to the AFC Championship Game during the 2019 campaign.

He would also surely command the respect of the locker room as a three-time Super Bowl champion, which is likely much-needed in Chicago following a tumultuous season that included a reported heated locker room exchange between former head coach Matt Eberflus and players such as Jaylon Johnson.

Still, Vrabel has a defensive background and might not be the optimal candidate to maximize Caleb Williams over the coming seasons.

Williams was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, and whether the quarterback lives up to expectations or not will likely determine the franchise's short- and long-term future. Perhaps that will inspire the front office to go with an offensive coach after the lengthy interview process is over.

For now, though, Vrabel is in the mix.