Mike Vrabel’s Ohio State Interview With Urban Meyer Was ‘Worst Thing’ He’d Ever Done

Long before he was a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, New England’s Mike Vrabel was coaching linebackers at his alma mater, Ohio State.

He joined interim-coach Luke Fickell’s staff upon retiring from playing in the NFL and nearly didn’t make it to a second season because of an interview with Urban Meyer.

As Vrabel’s first season of wearing a headset rather than a helmet wrapped up, Meyer was named Ohio State’s new head coach. First order of business for Meyer was to retain or dismiss coaches from Fickell’s staff. Vrabel, along with the other coaches, was asked to interview with Meyer.

That was a whole new world for Vrabel.

“I had never interviewed (before),” Vrabel recounted to Meyer on The Triple Option podcast that Urban hosts with Rob Stone and Mark Ingram. “I had coached for a year and basically what I did is I coached the linebackers, but I really just made sure they went to class or showed up to practice on time because Luke (Fickell) coached the linebackers and was the head coach.”

Fickell and Vrabel were long-time friends and former roommates from their time spent playing together along the Ohio State defensive line. No interview was required for Vrabel to join friend’s staff.

“First interview, … in front of the whole staff that (Urban Meyer) had just hired, I get up there,” a smirking Vrabel remembered. “I draw this little circle, this little T. Talking about three-technique. And I mean, I just p***ed down my leg. I had no idea.”

Meyer recognized Vrabel’s untimely fumble, but didn’t hold it against the three-time Super Bowl champion.

Vrabel remembers Meyer’s immediate comment. “That is the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” Vrabel said of Meyer’s response. “I want you to go home and come back at six in the morning.” From there, Vrabel went home and told his wife he didn’t think he’d be coaching much longer and called the interview “the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Rather than accept defeat, Vrabel, as he’s so often done in his playing and coaching careers, went back to work.

“I went back to the office, stayed there all night. Had a teaching progression. Figured out what I wanted to do and how I wanted to explain it,” Vrabel continued. “(The second interview) did a little better.”

“A lot better,” Meyer confirmed.

Following three years at Ohio State — the last two under Meyer — Vrabel moved to the NFL. After four years with the Texans, he was hired by the Titans where he was head coach for six seasons. Then it was onto Cleveland as a coaching consultant for a year before landing in New England where he’ll lead the Patriots against Seattle in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

If all goes according to plan, his next interview will take place while holding a Lombardi trophy.