NFL Rumors: AFC Contender Will Hire Mike Vrabel As Consultant

Mike Vrabel reportedly will have a new NFL home this season.

The Browns will hire the New England Patriots Hall of Famer as a coaching and personnel consultant, according to multiple reports. Vrabel was with the team at the NFL Scouting Combine, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. And the former Tennessee Titans head coach hired current Cleveland defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz as a senior defensive assistant in 2021.

Vrabel’s reported homecoming comes after he was fired by the Titans after six seasons. The 48-year-old was linked to multiple head coach openings, including the Patriots, but, similar to Bill Belichick, Vrabel went without a head job.

The Browns brought on Vrabel “to act as a sounding board for Kevin Stefanski, but also as a resource for a coaching staff with a lot of youth and turnover,” according to The Athletic’s Robert Mays.

Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell hoped Vrabel would help his program in an “informal” process. But it looks like Vrabel will spend most of his time at the NFL level as Cleveland hopes to improve after losing in the wild-card round to the Houston Texans.