Would you have hired Mike Vrabel when he was available?

[Einstein]

Say what you want about him, guy is an absolute stud of a leader. 

 

 

[BarleyNY]

Absolutely. I advocated for him here.

[Coach Tuesday]

100%

[Augie]

I would have really only been interested in offensive minded HC’s. I don’t want to be in a position (again) where the offensive coordinator was getting fired if he was bad, or poached if he was good. A great DC will not get a HC gig as fast as a bright new offensive mind. 

[NewEra]

He wasn’t my first choice.  Ben Johnson and Liam Cohen were because I wanted Josh to have one system and voice in his ear for the rest of his career. Vrabel was my 3rd choice but I was good with keeping McDermott over him.  

[zevo]

He’s an excellent head coach. I would assume most head coaches do things like this. I would bet money McD did similar things for his players after tough losses. 

[Einstein]

8 minutes ago, Coach Tuesday said:

100%

 

I think that’s what bothers me most about the McDermott firing. Instead of doing so in a year where we could get a natural leader like Vrabel, we do it in a year where our best choice was the OC that half the fanbase wanted fired 6 weeks before that.

 

 

[DapperCam]

I remember many people here advocated for him.

 

I question how much he really moves the needle on offense, so I think he needs a good OC.

[D. L. Hot-Flamethrower]

It remains to be seen as to if he's a SB winning coach IMHO. He could be more out of the McDermott, Schottenheimer mold. I have my doubts.

[Einstein]

Just now, zevo said:

He’s an excellent head coach. I would assume most head coaches do things like this. I would bet money McD did similar things for his players after tough losses. 

 

I think it was videod and shared because it’s NOT common. But I wouldn’t be surprised if McD also would do it - he is a great guy.

 

There was another video the NFL films team shared where Vrabel was constantly calming Maye down and reassuring him. He is just a natural leader. He doesn’t have to try. He doesn’t have to pretend. It oozes off of him. 

[US Egg]

Sure. But this ‘what a guy’ persona isn’t unique to him. Why can’t he do that in the locker room out of view of the camera, like surely McDermott and plenty of other HC’s do?

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Anyone who thinks an HC doesn’t catch all their guys after a game is uninformed. Vrabel just did it in a public place rather than behind closed doors. Leader or showman?
 

He’s a good coach but he would not have been the right guy for Buffalo. 

[zevo]

Just now, US Egg said:

Sure. But this ‘what a guy’ persona isn’t unique to him. Why can’t he do that in the locker room out of view of the camera, like surely McDermott and plenty of other HC’s do?

Agreed. I don’t think this is unique…it’s a feel good video.

[Royale with Cheese]

If he was available this year, he would have been one I wanted.

[Augie]

5 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

I think that’s what bothers me most about the McDermott firing. Instead of doing so in a year where we could get a natural leader like Vrabel, we do it in a year where our best choice was the OC that half the fanbase wanted fired 6 weeks before that.

 

 

 

My concern with Ben Johnson and other guys who had never been a HC before was……oh, never mind. 

[PatsFanNH]

My question would be would the fans here be in favor of the Coachibg Staff Vrabel had with him.. what I mean it be Vrabel as HC and Macdaniels as OC and the rest of the staff would you take that over what you HAD LAST year. (Have to be fair to Brady none of us know how good he will or will not be as HC)

[2003Contenders]

Not taking anything away from Vrabel because he certainly deserved the accolades he has received for the turnaround the Pats made -- but let's see what power that team has to sustain their success with a much more difficult schedule ahead.

 

Let's ask ourselves this question: What if the Bills (as led by McD) had faced the same playoff schedule as the Pats? I think they win all the same games that the Pats did -- and the game against Denver (with no Nix that the Pats faced) the Bills probably win going away. Meanwhile, I am not sure that the Pats would have made it past the Jags in the first round.

 

Of course, the Pats had the path they had because of greater success in the regular season, but that too was largely a product of a much easier schedule. Still, they did beat the teams they were supposed to beat -- and the Bills did not always do that in 2025 (Miami, Atlanta and Mills-led Houston).

 

 

Edited February 13 by 2003Contenders

[US Egg]

5 minutes ago, zevo said:

Agreed. I don’t think this is unique…it’s a feel good video.

First thing I thought of him when he coached Titans was that he plays to the camera-big time. Posted it in here.

[Coffeesforclosers]

No.

 

Vrabel just got rinsed by a former Ravens DC who was seventeen years old when Vrabel helped win Superbowl 39.  Mountains of experience and inspirational leadership are nice things to have, but they do not translate into rings. 

 

Right now, we're counting on Joe Brady and Jim Leonhard to be better X's and O's guys when it comes to situational football in the post-season., because the X's and O's are where McDermott and ultimately Vrabel fell on their faces. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 14 by Coffeesforclosers

[strive_for_five_guy]

10 minutes ago, Einstein said:

 

I think it was videod and shared because it’s NOT common. But I wouldn’t be surprised if McD also would do it - he is a great guy.

 

There was another video the NFL films team shared where Vrabel was constantly calming Maye down and reassuring him. He is just a natural leader. He doesn’t have to try. He doesn’t have to pretend. It oozes off of him. 

McD left Josh inconsolable, so much so that Josh wouldn’t even talk to Terry after the game.