Did Mike Vrabel play in the NFL?

The NFL's Tennessee Titans head coach is Mike Vrabel. At Ohio State, wherein he played collegiate football, he was named a unanimous All-American. Did he compete in the NFL?

Yes, Mike Vrabel was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He later signed with the New England Patriots as a free agent in 2001, where he won three Super Bowls and was named an All-Pro. He ended up playing out his stint with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Mike Vrabel's college and NFL career

After graduating from high school, Vrabel was granted a scholarship from Ohio State University. He was there for three years, playing defensive end from 1993 to 1996. He was honored as a Consensus All-American(1996) in his senior year. In 1995 and 1996, he received the Defensive Lineman of the Year honor. He was named to the Ohio State Football All-Century Team in 2000, and in 2012 was inducted into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Mike Vrabel was named in the 1997 NFL Draft, but his name wasn't announced until the third round. With the 91st overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers grabbed the athletic linebacker.

Vrabel, though, did not make a single start for the side. He only made 56 tackles and seven sacks in his four seasons with the Steelers.

Despite not having a strong offensive start, another AFC franchise had an interest in him when he became a free agent.

He agreed to a free agent agreement with the New England Patriots during the 2001 offseason. In his first 4 years with the organization, he was a defensive mainstay who helped the team win three Super Bowls.

His best season with the Patriots came in 2007 when they went 18-1, and he was named to the All-Pro team. In addition to his defensive duties, he played various roles in the offense, receiving 12 touchdown passes as a tight end.

Vrabel was traded by the Patriots to the Kansas City Chiefs in February 2009. Vrabel served as a seasoned team leader for the Chiefs in 2009 and 2010, capping a 14-year playing career.

Mike Vrabel's coaching career

Before being appointed in 2018 as the Tennessee Titans head coach, Mike Vrabel started his NFL coaching career in 2014 with the Houston Texans as their linebacker trainer and later as their defensive coordinator.

Vrabel was the first ex-Ohio State athlete to be voted NFL Coach of the Year in February 2022.

The Tennessee Titans, who claimed the top seed in the AFC after finishing 12-5 during the regular season, fell to the Cincinnati Bengals in the regional round of the NFL playoffs. Vrabel won the honor after his fourth season as the team's head coach.