NASHVILLE – Titans head coach Mike Vrabel has been named 2021 NFL Coach of the Year by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Vrabel guided the Titans to a record of 12-5 during the regular season, and his team captured the AFC's No.1 seed for the first time since the 2008 season. The 12 wins in the regular season were the most for the franchise since 2008, when the Titans finished 13-3.
Vrabel's Titans won the AFC South for the second straight season, and the organization made its third consecutive postseason appearance in his four seasons as head coach.
The Titans used 91 players during the 2021 season, an NFL record for a non-strike season.
It's the first PFWA Coach of the Year honor for Vrabel, and the second Coach of the Year honor for the Titans' franchise. Sid Gilman won the AFC award in 1974 with the then-Houston Oilers.
Vrabel's overall record since taking over as coach of the Titans is 44-27, including regular season and playoffs. In 2021, Vrabel tied Jack Pardee for the most total wins by a head coach in his first four seasons with the organization. In Pardee's first four seasons as head coach from 1990 through 1993, the Oilers were 43-26, including playoffs. Of all Titans/Oilers head coaches with at least four seasons with the franchise, Vrabel's career winning percentage ranks the highest.
In its 58th season in 2021, the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is the official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public. The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams daily.
Past PFWA Coach of the Year winners:
1966 — Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys
1967 AFL — John Rauch, Oakland Raiders
1967 NFL — Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers
1968 AFL — Weeb Ewbank, New York Jets
1968 NFL — Don Shula, Baltimore Colts
1969 AFL — John Madden, Oakland Raiders
1969 NFL — Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings
1970 AFC — Paul Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
1970 NFC — Dick Nolan, San Francisco 49ers
1971 AFC — Don Shula, Miami Dolphins
1971 NFC — George Allen, Washington Redskins
1972 AFC — Don Shula, Miami Dolphins
1972 NFC — Dan Devine, Green Bay Packers
1973 AFC — John Ralston, Denver Broncos
1973 NFC — Chuck Knox, Los Angeles Rams
1974 AFC — Sid Gilman, Houston Oilers
1974 NFC — Don Coryell, St. Louis Cardinals
1975 AFC — Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts
1975 NFC — Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys
1976 AFC — Chuck Fairbanks, New England Patriots
1976 NFC — Jack Pardee, Chicago Bears
1977 — Red Miller, Denver Broncos
1978 AFC — Walt Michaels, New York Jets
1978 NFC — Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles
1979 AFC — Don Coryell, San Diego Chargers
1979 NFC — Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles
1980 AFC — Chuck Knox, Buffalo Bills
1980 NFC — Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons
1981 AFC — Forrest Gregg, Cincinnati Bengals
1981 NFC — Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers
1982 AFC — Tom Flores, Los Angeles Raiders
1982 NFC — Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins
1983 AFC — Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers
1983 NFC — Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins
1984 AFC — Chuck Knox, Seattle Seahawks
1984 NFC — Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers
1985 AFC — Raymond Berry, New England Patriots
1985 NFC — Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears
1986 AFC — Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland Browns
1986 NFC — Bill Parcells, New York Giants
1987 AFC — Ron Meyer, New England Patriots
1987 NFC — Jim Mora, New Orleans Saints
1988 AFC — Sam Wyche, Cincinnati Bengals
1988 NFC — Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears
1989 AFC — Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers
1989 NFC — Lindy Infante, Green Bay Packers
1990 — Art Shell, Los Angeles Raiders
1991 — Wayne Fontes, Detroit Lions
1992 — Bobby Ross, San Diego Chargers
1993 — Dan Reeves, New York Giants
1994 — Bill Parcells, New England Patriots
1995 — Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers
1996 — Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers
1997 — Jim Fassel, New York Giants
1998 — Dan Reeves, Atlanta Falcons
1999 — Dick Vermeil, St. Louis Rams
2000 — Jim Haslett, New Orleans Saints
2001 — Dick Jauron, Chicago Bears
2002 — Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles
2003 — Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
2004 — Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego Chargers
2005 — Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears
2006 — Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
2007 — Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
2008 — Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins
2009 — Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
2010 — Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
2011 — Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers
2012 — Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts
2013 — Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
2014 — Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
2015 — Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers
2016 — Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
2017 — Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams
2018 — Matt Nagy, Chicago Bears
2019 — John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
2020 — Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns
The PFWA presented AFL and NFL Coach of the Year awards from 1967-69 and AFC and NFC Coach of the Year awards from 1970-89, with the exception of 1977.
The PFWA's Coach of the Year award was presented in conjunction with Pro Football Weekly from 1992-2012.
