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Mike Vrabel wants New York Jets job under one condition as Bill Belichick influence grows

Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is reportedly interested in the New York Jets' head coaching vacancy, although one major obstacle stands in the way of him joining the team.

[Mike Vrabel has been linked with the New York Jets job]

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Mike Vrabel has been linked with the New York Jets job(Image: Getty Images)

Mike Vrabel, the former Tennessee Titans coach, has reportedly shown interest in coaching the New York Jets next season. However, there's a significant obstacle that needs to be overcome before any deal can be reached.

ESPN's Rich Cimini revealed on the latest episode of the 'Flight Desk' podcast that Vrabel has told those close to him that he'd seriously consider joining the Jets this offseason, provided he approves of New York's general manager hire.

"Many people assume that Vrabel wouldn't even consider the Jets, because what's he going to do? He's going to call up one of his mentors, Bill Belichick, and ask him his opinion of the Jets," Cimini began.

"And we know what Belichick's going to say, he's going to trash the Jets and say, 'Don't take that job if it's offered.' But I've talked to people who know Vrabel, and he has told friends that he would consider the Jets as a possibility, as long as he likes the GM that they pick. So he says he doesn't care what Belichick thinks, he'll judge the situation based on its own merit."

In October, the Jets sacked head coach Robert Saleh after a 2-3 start to the 2024-25 campaign. A month later, team owner Woody Johnson dismissed general manager Joe Douglas, paving the way for a new regime.

Cimini has thrown his weight behind Vrabel as a top pick for the Jets' coaching role. The former Titans coach, who was let go last January after leading Tennessee to a respectable 54-45 record and notable playoff success, is seen as a strong candidate despite his defensive background.

"I think Vrabel would be an outstanding choice for the Jets," Cimini remarked. "He's experienced, he's won in Tennessee, he's a tough guy - I think he'd need to be tough in the New York market."

He did note, however, "The downside, he's not an offensive coach, he's a defensive coach. So ideally, you'd like that guy to have a guy with an offensive background. You can't have everything, I guess. But to me, he has to be at or near the top of the list."

[Mike Vrabel left his job as Titans head coach at the end of last season ]

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Mike Vrabel left his job as Titans head coach at the end of last season (Image: Getty Images)

While Vrabel seems open to the idea of joining the Jets, Cimini made it clear that Belichick isn't looking to switch to his long-time AFC East adversaries.

"Bill Belichick, the betting favorite to be the Jets head coach. Let me tell you, that is not going to happen," he stated emphatically.

"I would not throw any of my hard-earned money on Belichick coaching the Jets. As I've said before, he'd rather coach Nantucket High School than the Jets, but he could have some influence over this, like I said, with the Vrabel thing.

"Belichick has a lot of influence around the league, so he might in some indirect way have an impact on this coaching search. But like I said, Vrabel telling friends that the Belichick factor and what he says about the Jets will not influence his opinion of the Jets."

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