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Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets are interviewing former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel on Friday at their facility for the team’s head coaching vacancy, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Vrabel, 49, is expected to be among the most coveted candidates in this year’s hiring cycle. He is available this week because his coaching and personnel consulting contract with the Cleveland Browns expired Monday. The Athletic first reported the meeting with the Jets.
He will be the second known candidate to interview for the vacancy. On Thursday, the Jets met with former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera.
Former Jets and Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan said in a radio interview Monday that he expects to interview with the Jets, but no meeting had been arranged as of Thursday night.
The Jets are looking to replace Robert Saleh, who was fired Oct. 8 after compiling a 20-36 record in three-plus seasons as the coach. They are 2-9 under interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Vrabel was fired by the Titans on Jan. 9, 2024, after six seasons with the team. He compiled a 54-45 record, making three postseason appearances and going 2-3 in the playoffs. He was 13-21 in his final two seasons in Tennessee, and his firing came a year after the Titans changed general managers, hiring Ran Carthon.
The Jets (4-12) will close out their disappointing season Sunday against the Miami Dolphins — a season that also claimed general manager Joe Douglas, who was fired Nov. 26.
They have already interviewed four candidates for their general manager vacancy: former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, former Titans GM Jon Robinson, Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick, who worked in the front offices of the Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles.
The Jets have retained The 33rd Team to provide data analysis and experience in their searches for both positions. Former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum and former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman, who served as an adviser for the Commanders’ GM and coaching searches last year, are leading the project for The 33rd Team.