Does Mike Vrabel Feel Added Motivation Vs. Chargers, Who Didn’t Hire Him?

Mike Vrabel felt he had a great interview with the Los Angeles Chargers nine days after he was fired by the Tennessee Titans. LA, however, opted to hire franchise legend Jim Harbaugh over Vrabel ahead of the 2024 season.

Fast-forward two years later, it seems to have worked out quite well for the New England Patriots. Some might even say Vrabel, too, who is the betting favorite to win AP Coach of the Year after leading New England to 14 wins and the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

It’s fitting Vrabel now will coach his first playoff game with the Patriots and face Harbaugh’s Chargers. The veteran head coach, however, says the head-to-head matchup will not carry any extra motivation — perhaps unlike the regular-season matchup with the Titans.

“No,” Vrabel told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Monday, per a team-provided transcript. “Everything that I do and every second that I spend preparing will be to help the players. That’s a well-run organization. The Spanos family is a good one. But no, that’s no extra motivation.”

Speaking on Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take,” Vrabel expressed his respect for Chargers owner Dean Spanos and the Spanos family, who called Vrabel and communicated they were hiring Harbaugh. That level of transparency and respect isn’t something that happens often, Vrabel said on the podcast.

So while there will plenty on the line at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night, Vrabel seeking revenge on a team that nearly hired him apparently isn’t top of mind.