The Tennessee Titans parted ways with head coach Mike Vrabel last offseason and replaced him with then-Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. He and the Titans won just three games during the 2024 NFL season.
Now, however, ahead of Year 2 in the Callahan experiment, Vrabel has taken another job with an AFC foe, the New England Patriots. The two teams are slated to play against each other at Nissan Stadium in Tennessee in Week 7.
While there has been plenty of turnover in the two offseasons since Callahan replaced Vrabel, there are still a handful of players who transcended the two regimes.
Tennessee Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya (89).
Tennessee Titans tight end Thomas Odukoya (89).
Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
One such player is Thomas Odukoya, a tight end who came to the Titans through the International Player Pathway in 2022. He is still on the roster ahead of the 2025 season and had strong words for Vrabel after he joined the Patriots.
"When Mike Vrabel was here, I spent two years on the practice squad and never played for him. Not that I’m bitter about that, but in my opinion, I deserved an opportunity," Odukoya said. "There are a lot of factors coming into play, but I want to beat the Patriots, so they have to watch the film and think Thomas Odukoya should’ve played when they had the chance."
Odukoya spent two seasons with the Titans and never played in a game under Vrabel, but during his third season, Callahan subbed him into two games in 2024. He played just one offensive snap but 36 on special teams (via Pro Football Reference).
He went on to express a bit of admiration for his former coach, but still held firm that he wanted to take down the Titans' former leader.
"I have always found Mike Vrabel to be an amazing coach, and I think he’s a good fit for the New England organization," Odukoya said. "But, of course, I want to win against them and have the last laugh. You never want an old coach to come back and beat you on your own turf."
With star rookie quarterback Cam Ward under center and a plethora of upgrades made throughout the roster, the Titans expect to be far better than they were in 2024. Beating Vrabel and the Patriots in Week 7 would be the cherry on top of the sundae.