Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel made some headlines after the Week 16 loss to the Houston Texans after suggesting players weren’t doing enough to prepare when away from the team facility.
“You hear [from players], ‘man, I hate losing,’” Vrabel said. “I hate losing, too, so maybe we should love preparing and love focusing before the game and doing as much as we possibly can so that we don’t make mistakes in critical times or mental errors; things that can be avoided.”
When pressed further, Vrabel added this:
“It’s not the buy-in, it’s just, how much are we doing outside of the time that we’re at the facility?” Vrabel asked. “If you as a professional athlete just work 8-4 or 8-4:30, I don’t know how much you get out of it.
“Maybe God gifted you with some really, really cool talents. We just have to all do a little bit more, and that’s with me, with preparation, and that’s with coaches and players. A little bit more of everything.”
Vrabel received some slack from fans for his comments, as it was another example of him putting things mostly on the players’ shoulders when we know coaching has been a problem, also.
On Monday, Vrabel attempted to clarify his comment, while also noting that coaches need to do a better job in preparing players for games.
“I guess I just have to be more careful with how I choose my words,” Vrabel reflected. “I just was trying to say that we all need to say less and just try to start doing more right now. And just studying more, communicating more, asking more questions, coaching better, explaining, teaching better, so that players can come back with questions and say, ‘hey, I saw this. How would we play that.'”
“I’m not spreading a message to the media that I haven’t said to the players at any point in time,” Vrabel continued. “That’s not how I want to coach. So, that’s all that was, that was just explaining that I think, again, building off how much better can we get physically at this point in the season. Where can we find an edge to help us win.”
Vrabel touched on a number of other topics on Monday, which you can check out below.
On offensive line replacements
#Titans HC Mike Vrabel: C Corey Levin and G Jordan Roos played extremely hard.@Creatureman finished, and was good on his assignments. Said Le'Raven Clark stepped in and helped
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 26, 2022
On possibly resting starters in Week 17
Mike Vrabel said #Titans have to play with a goal of winning every time out when asked about approach of playing vs. #Cowboys Thursday night with game having no playoff implications.
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) December 26, 2022
Vrabel said #Titans will make decisions this week regarding who needs to play Thursday night and who needs to rest.
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) December 26, 2022
On Malik Willis' latest start
#Titans HC Mike Vrabel: Overall, Malik Willis has to be quicker with his progressions. … But he made some good decisions, and was decisive. … Some good, but has to continue to progress
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 26, 2022
On Denico Autry
#Titans HC Mike Vrabel: Denico Autry impacted the game vs Texans, and was productive. … We'll see how he feels today and monitor him
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 26, 2022
On David Long, Kyle Philips
Long/ Philips not an option this week. #Titans
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) December 26, 2022
On Ryan Tannehill
Tannehill not on IR indication he’s doing everything he can to make it back, Vrabel said. #Titans
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) December 26, 2022
