Mike Vrabel won't coach Tennessee Titans in first preseason football game. Here's who will.
Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel will be on the sideline for the Titans' preseason opener on Saturday, but he won't be calling the shots.
Vrabel announced Monday that defensive line coach Terrell Williams will be the Titans' acting head coach for the matchup Saturday against the Bears in Chicago. Williams has been the Titans' defensive line coach since 2018 and was elevated to assistant head coach for 2023.
"I just think him dealing and talking with the trainer and we'll have a lot of conversations between now and Friday, but just handling things with the roster and discussing those things with the assistant coaches and how we want to play the game and let him make those decisions in the game," Vrabel explained about the decision. "We'll go into the game with things we want to make sure get done and I'm sure he'll try to do that. I'll help him where need be. But I do think it'll be a great opportunity. Well deserved."
Vrabel said he'll be involved with coaching players on the sideline on technique during the game and he'll help Williams "where (he) can" with operational requirements.
Williams has been an NFL defensive line coach since 2012, including stints with the Raiders and Dolphins before coming to Tennessee. Prior to that, he coached defensive linemen at the college level dating to 1998.
"I wanted to be able to plan this out and give (Williams) ample time to prepare for those meetings and his message," Vrabel said. "And the direction he wants to take it."
The Titans face the Bears at noon CT. The game will be available to watch in Nashville on WKRN News Channel 2.
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Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @nicksuss.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mike Vrabel hands coaching job to assistant in Titans football preseason opener
