Mike Vrabel spent 15 minutes talking to some of his favorite people late Wednesday morning, the Titans beat corps.
We hit him with a wide range of questions and he was mellow, friendly and hardly sentimental about his Sunday return to Nissan Stadium, when' he'll bring his surging Patriots to play the Titans.
As he said recently in New England, recirculating an old line, he understands why people see it all as interesting, but it doesn't rate as important for his team.
He told us: "There's a lot there to unpack outside of the interesting fact that I used to coach in Tennessee."
Some highlights with my reflections.
About returning to the familiar venue:
Vrabel: "I have not been on that sideline, you know, I mean, on the other sideline, I think that may be just a little different. I mean, there'll be a lot of things that, you know, with the visitors' locker room. But again, these are all things that I believe are interesting. They're just not important to us as it relates to the game and how we need to try to play."
PK: These sorts of returns happen all the time. But most fired coaches have to climb to return and Vrabel comes back in a far better situation at 4-2 with a thriving QB in Drake Maye than the team that fired him (1-5 and starting out with an interim coach).
On Titans rookie QB Cam Ward
"I think he has a quick release, live arm. I think that he's not afraid to stand in there, shown the ability to extend and escape. Throws it into tight windows. He puts it in his position out front where there's been some good catch-and-run opportunities, which I think that accuracy can lead to some Xplays even if that's on a short pass that's in the right spot that can get the skilled players space and speed to keep moving. I think I've seen that.
He's had a couple of tip ball picks from pass rush and that's unfortunate. So I would say that there's all the talent in the world, and when you see them work and them marry plays and stay consistent, they've moved to football in pretty much every game that they've been in."
PK: None of it's untrue, but it's as polite a picture as can be painted of a struggling rookie with a 55.0 completion percentage.
On Jeffery Simmons, who's playing as well as he ever has
"Jeff was very valuable personally for me and for the football team while I was there. I mean, that's no secret. He knows that. And I would say that that's one of the players, you know, I have a relationship with away from here, wish I'd be able to coach him for longer than what I did. It was great to see him grow as a player and as a person.
"He's playing extremely well. He's continued to improve, and it'll be a huge challenge. Just the effort in which he plays, the toughness. He's got a lot of different tools that he uses in the run game and pass rush. And I could go on and on for quite a while here about Jeffrey. But it certainly looks like he continues to improve in his play demeanor is exactly as I remember."
Any kind of special memento in his office or at home from his time in Tennessee?
"I don't have much in my office, you know, just a couple of pictures. I got a cool picture of me and Carter up there (leaning back and pointing over his shoulder), but I mean I don't even know where my Super Bowl rings are right now. I don't have jerseys hanging in my house. That's never really been my style. So probably don't have too much from Tennessee. I mean Goodwill's probably got a pretty good haul over there down off of 8th Avenue."
PK: I suspect all his stuff from Goodwill got snatched up pretty quickly after the Vrabels dropped it off.
On the health of Terrell Williams, his defensive coordinator, who was the defensive line coach in Tennessee. Williams is battling prostate cancer.
"I would say that he's feeling better; he's starting his treatment. Trying to come in as much as he can, which is great for everybody to see him. But I appreciate you asking, and I would say that he's feeling better and starting through that process."
PK: Williams is a great guy and we are all hoping the very best for him.
On the recently fired Brian Callahan
"I interviewed Brian or had conversations with him a while ago. When he got the job, I texted him and congratulated him. And when I heard of the news (this week), I texted him and told him I apologize. And then I, you know, this is the side of the business that nobody really likes. And that was my conversation with him...
"I try to reach out to guys. I try, you know, I mean, there's only 32 head coaches in this league and 16 of them are happy every week, and 16 of them aren't very happy, so that's kind of how it goes."
PK: Callahan got the job Vrabel was fired from, but they were still part of the same fraternity and I'm sure Vrabel's hard feelings are/were for the people who fired him not his replacement.
