The University of Wisconsin football team might benefit from one of the NFL hiring cycle’s shocks.
In an interview with ESPN Wisconsin’s Wilde & Tausch on Wednesday, Badgers coach Luke Fickell stated that former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel will be paying his squad a visit and that there may be opportunities for additional interaction with the three-time Super Bowl winner and 2021 NFL Coach of the Year.
In addition to being Fickell’s roommate and former teammate at Ohio State, Vrabel was hired as an assistant coach by the Buckeyes and was let go by the Titans last month. Despite many interviews, Vrabel was not hired by an NFL team. Fickell was questioned about his recent conversation with Vrabel.
“I talked to him, I think, on Saturday, and we hadn’t communicated for probably a week or so just because the process was going,” Fickell said. “He sounded like a new man. And I’m not sure exactly if this was his choice, or what it is the future it looks like, but I know that we’re going to have a visitor here that’s going to spend a little bit of time, hopefully around us. Starting, coming up in the spring and some things like that, see how much, how deep we can get involved with my buddy and get him around here.”
Vrabel, 48, started his coaching career at Ohio State as the linebackers coach during Fickell’s season as the interim coach in 2011. He later spent two years as the defensive line coach at Ohio State under Urban Meyer. During those seasons, Fickell served as the co-defensive coordinator. After moving to the NFL, Vrabel spent three seasons coaching the linebackers for the Houston Texans before receiving a promotion to defensive coordinator. During his six seasons as Tennessee’s coach, the team finished 54-45 overall, including three postseason appearances.
He was a defensive lineman and linebacker for the New England Patriots for 14 seasons, during which he won three Super Bowls.
Ever since they shared an apartment at Ohio State, Fickell and Vrabel have been close friends. Fickell mentioned Vrabel during his press conference after the Badgers’ ReliaQuest Bowl loss to LSU. Fickell promised to do all in his power to get quarterback Tanner Mordecai into the NFL and to call “his buddy” there.
Fickell now has ten assistants on staff, so if Vrabel does join the Badgers in an official capacity, it might be as an analyst.
Fickell hosted Vrabel at Ohio State during his formal visit thirty years ago. Now, he’ll make an effort to keep his buddy around.
