The New York Jets were scheduled to interview former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel on Friday for their head coaching vacancy, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
Vrabel will be the second known coaching candidate to meet with the Jets, who spoke to former Washington and Carolina coach Ron Rivera on Thursday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team only announces meetings with candidates after interviews are completed. The Athletic first reported Vrabel would speak to the Jets.
Vrabel is expected to be a highly sought candidate during this hiring cycle, and New York is getting a chance to sit down with him early in the process.
The 49-year-old Vrabel served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired earlier this week — allowing him to interview with other teams.
The one-time All-Pro linebacker who helped New England win three Super Bowl titles was 56-48 in six seasons as coach of the Titans, including 2-3 in the postseason. He was fired by Tennessee after a 6-11 finish last season.
The Jets fired coach Robert Saleh on Oct. 8 when the team was 2-3 and replaced him on an interim basis with defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, who is 2-9 heading into New York’s season finale Sunday at home against Miami.
General manager Joe Douglas was fired six weeks after Saleh, and the Jets have also begun their search for his replacement. New York has interviewed Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy, former Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff, former Tennessee Titans GM Jon Robinson and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick for the GM job.
