Report: NFC East team not interested in Mike Vrabel for defensive coordinator job

Mike Vrabel was presumably hoping that the Dallas Cowboys’ loss would be his gain.

But it wasn’t meant to be after the Cowboys reportedly expressed no interest in having Vrabel interview for their defensive coordinator position vacated by Dan Quinn, who took the head-coaching job with the Washington Commanders, according to Will Steele of A to Z Sports.

Quinn had been Dallas’ defensive coordinator since 2021. The team finished fifth, fifth and seventh, respectively, in scoring defense, and fifth, 12th and 19th, respectively, in total defense in his three seasons.

“I'm being told that Vrabel and (former New York Giants defensive coordinator) Wink Martindale both wanted a chance to talk but they're not getting it,” Steele reported.

Vrabel was fired after a six-year run as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, where he compiled a 54-45 record with three playoff appearances, two AFC South titles and an AFC Championship Game appearance. Prior to Tennessee, Vrabel spent the 2017 season as the defensive coordinator of the Houston Texans.

Per Steele, the Cowboys DC job appears to be a two-horse race with head coach Mike McCarthy favoring former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, while ownership appears to be leaning toward former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.