Wisconsin Football Listed as Potential Destination for Former NFL Coach

With most of the NFL head coach jobs spoken for, former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel might be the odd man out. With that said, A to Z Sports has suggested that the Wisconsin football program could be a potential landing spot for Vrabel should he need a year to regroup. 

While I’ll admit it’s wildly unlikely that Vrabel would end up with the Wisconsin Badgers as an analyst, it’s worth noting that plenty of high-level coaches have taken that path while waiting for the right situation. 

It’s been well-documented that head coach Luke Fickell and Vrabel are close friends. The two coaches were college roommates at Ohio State and even worked alongside one another on the Buckeyes coaching staff. 

There’s no question Wisconsin football would jump at the chance to add someone like Vrabel as an analyst for a year, but is it realistic? 

Does Wisconsin Football Have a Prayer of Adding Mike Vrabel?

First and foremost, let’s acknowledge that Mike Vrabel was 56-48, including 2-3 in the playoffs, in six seasons as an NFL head coach. He took the Titans to the AFC title game in his second season and won NFL Coach of the Year in 2021.

So, joining Wisconsin football is well beneath him, resume-wise.

But we’ve begun to see some coaches step back and take a year off rather than accept a job that puts them at risk of hurting their stock—while staying involved in the game and working on areas they need to improve before the next hiring cycle begins.

A low-maintenance analyst gig with the Wisconsin football program for Vrabel could be enticing if he wants to spend the year working on preparing for his next head coaching opportunity. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but I didn’t see Jim Leonhard assuming an analyst role.

If I were Vrabel, I’d rather take on an analyst role at Ohio State, pray the Buckeyes run Ryan Day out of town, and be conveniently sitting there as a plug-and-play replacement option. That’s just me.

Again, the odds of this happening are slim to none, but it’s fun to dream about him on the Badgers staff until he accepts a job elsewhere.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read our work at BadgerNotes.com. For more Wisconsin Badgers Athletics and Big Ten content, follow us on Twitter & Facebook. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel. For feedback, questions, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher @DillonGraff at Dillon.T.Graff@gmail.com. 

Also, be sure to check out our shop, subscribe to our newsletter, and the BadgerNotes After Dark podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. Because of your support, we have become one of the fastest-growing independent media outlets focused on giving a voice to the fans!