GOOD NEWS: Optimism grows for Fans after NY Jets’ Mike Vrabel interview goes ‘very well’

GOOD NEWS: Optimism grows for Fans after NY Jets’ Mike Vrabel interview goes ‘very well’

The NY Jets officially completed the second interview of what is expected to be an extensive head coach hiring process on Friday, and most fans would agree it was already the most anticipated.

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel took his first interview of the coaching cycle on Friday when the Jets brought him in to Florham Park. And by all accounts, the meeting was a success.

SNY’s Connor Hughes reported on Friday that the interview “went very well” for both Vrabel and the Jets. Vrabel is expected to garner plenty of interest from other teams, but Hughes made it clear that he has legitimate interest in the Jets’ job.

“This isn’t one-way interest,” Hughes reported. The Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders are all expected to have interest in the ex-Titans coach as well, but it’s notable that the Jets were the first team to officially get him in the building.

Do the NY Jets have a legitimate chance to land Mike Vrabel?
Vrabel is the second confirmed candidate to interview for the Jets’ head coaching position, joining former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera on their shortlist. Many others are expected to join that list in the coming weeks once the regular season comes to a close.

The Jets will have their share of competitors for Vrabel, with nearly every team with an opening expected to be interested. One team to keep a close eye on is the New England Patriots.

Vrabel is said to prefer the Patriots job as he’d relish the opportunity to coach his former team, but there’s no guarantee New England will move on from Jerod Mayo so quickly. If Mayo is fired, however, Vrabel figures to be the new favorite for that job.

The former NFL linebacker spent the 2024 season working as a consultant for the Cleveland Browns. With his contract expired as of this week, he is free to explore opportunities such as the Jets’ head coaching interview.

Vrabel is reportedly looking for a few things when it comes to his next job. He wants to land in a situation that has “clear communication with ownership” and a quarterback he feels he can win with, or at least a path to finding said quarterback. That doesn’t immediately scream “New York Jets.

Jets owner Woody Johnson is expected to be an obstacle in the team’s pursuit of a new head coach due in large part to his floundering reputation around the league. And given Aaron Rodgers’ uncertain future, the Jets don’t exactly have a stable quarterback situation either.

But there’s one selling point that usually trumps all: money. If Johnson is willing to pay up, many candidates might overlook some of the challenges they’d face with the Jets job. Money talks.

Vrabel is expected to be one of the most sought-after coaching candidates this offseason. It’s unclear if the Jets have a real shot to land him, but they can at least take pride in being the first team to secure an interview with him. That has to count for something, right?