Mike Vrabel is the NFL Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
The Pro Football Writers of America named Vrabel, a former Ohio State defensive end and assistant coach, its Coach of the Year on Thursday after he led the New England Patriots to a 14-3 regular-season record, an AFC East title and an AFC Championship Game appearance in his first season with the franchise.
Your @PFWAwriters Coach of the Year winner, Mike Vrabel pic.twitter.com/bsB9Z4bImM
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 22, 2026
Vrabel took over the Patriots in his 15th year as a football coach. Following a 14-year NFL playing career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs — which included Super Bowl titles with New England in 2002, 2004 and 2005 — Vrabel entered the coaching ranks as an Ohio State assistant in 2011.
After two seasons with the Buckeyes, Vrabel joined the Houston Texans, where he served as a linebackers coach and later defensive coordinator from 2014-17. He then became the head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, compiling a 54-45 record, making three playoff appearances and winning the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year Award.
Vrabel is one of five finalists for the AP NFL Coach of the Year award, joined by the Jacksonville Jaguars' Liam Coen, Chicago Bears' Ben Johnson, Seattle Seahawks' Mike Macdonald and San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Shanahan. A few other Buckeyes are also finalists for AP NFL honors, including running back TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots) and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) for Offensive Rookie of the Year, along with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) for Offensive Player of the Year.
The AP NFL awards will be announced at the NFL Honors on Feb. 5 (9 p.m., NBC).
