George Walker IV / Tennessean.com-USA TODAY NETWORK

Titans' Mike Vrabel entered a rare NFL fraternity over the weekend

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Sam Phalen | Last updated 12/13/23

NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel is someone you would call a "football lifer." His dedication and love for the game led him to 14 NFL seasons as an All-Pro linebacker and pushed him into a career in coaching.

It's also something that was passed down a generation. Tyler Vrabel (23), the oldest of Vrabel's two sons (Carter), is an offensive lineman who has spent the last two seasons on the Atlanta Falcons' practice squad.

On Sunday, Tyler made his debut for the Falcons at left tackle and the Vrabel's joined an exclusive club of father-son duos to play in the National Football League regular season.

"It was great. I'm happy for him, that he prepared. I tell him the same thing I tell our guys, that you're one play away once you get activated," Vrabel told me when I asked about his son's achievement. "I know he's been working extremely hard. I don't know where it goes from here, but I went in and got to see a couple of plays before we took off."

#Titans HC Mike Vrabel talks about his son, Tyler Vrabel, making his NFL debut for the #Falcons. pic.twitter.com/chCn8n9Cor
— AtoZ Sports Nashville (@AtoZSports) December 13, 2023

Coach Vrabel has always tried to keep his distance when it comes to his son's NFL career. Vrabel has an obvious existing relationship with Falcons head coach Arthur Smith, but has said in the past that he tries not to get involved in things too much.

When the Titans played the Falcons back in October, Vrabel said he and Tyler had only exchanged one text message in the week leading up to the game. That's about par for the course, so it's not surprising that Vrabel said he would not critique the film.

It's usually a good rule of thumb to keep your personal life out of your professional life. But sometimes that's just not possible. In this case, it's a momental moment worth celebrating for the entire Vrabel family.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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