Mike Vrabel giving HC duties to assistant for Titans preseason opener
After more than a decade of coaching in the NFL, Terrell Williams is getting his shot as a head coach. Well, sort of.
Williams, who serves as assistant head coach and defensive line coach of the Tennessee Titans will act as the team’s head coach in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Chicago Bears, head coach Mike Vrabel announced on Monday.
“I think this is a great opportunity for him and for us and everybody involved,” Vrabel said. “…Just handling things with the roster and discussing things with the assistant coaches and how we want to play the game, we’ll let him make those decisions in the game and we’ll go in with things we think we need to try and get done and I’m sure he’ll try and do that. I’ll help him where need be, but I do think it will be a great opportunity, it’s well-deserved and this is something I wanted to do.”
Vrabel indicated that Williams will transition to his temporary role beginning with practice on Friday with defensive assistant Clint McMillan coaching the defensive line. Vrabel will still be around the team coaching certain players but will serve as more of a sounding board for Williams before returning to his normal role on Sunday after the game.
The move will give Williams some exposure as a potential head coaching candidate and afford him some valuable head coaching experience, albeit temporarily.
The Titans' defensive line has ranked in the top two in run defense each of the last two years under Williams, including allowing a league-low 76.9 rushing yards per game last season. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons has made two Pro Bowls and been named a Second Team All-Pro both years while defensive end Denico Autry posted his two best seasons under Williams’ guidance (115 pressures, 76 hurries, 17 sacks).
He also helped develop DE Rashad Weaver (34 pressures, 20 hurries, 5.5 sacks in 2022) as well as DTs Teair Tart and Naquan Jones, and he coached Demarcus Walker to a career year (32 pressures, 7.5 sacks) before he signed with the Bears in the offseason.
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