Tonight is Mike Vrabel's first career game at Soldier Field
NFL coach Mike Vrabel is set to coach his first regular-season game at Soldier Field in Chicago. Despite a long career as a player and coach, his previous appearances at the venue were limited to preseason games or instances where the Bears played elsewhere.
Why it matters
This highlights the rarity of cross-conference matchups and the unique scheduling quirks of the NFL.
Mike Vrabel is in his 27th season as a player or coach in the NFL.
Yet, tonight marks his first career regular-season game at Soldier Field.
Larry Mayer of the Bears’ team website reported this stat that seems impossible.
Vrabel played for the Steelers (1997-2000), Patriots (2001-08) and Chiefs (2009-10); he was an assistant for the Texans (2014-17); and he was the head coach of the Titans (2018-23) and Patriots (2025-present).
He never played and has never coached in the NFC, which limits the number of times his teams have gone against the Bears on the road.
The only previous away game Vrabel had against the Bears was in 2002 as a player for the Patriots. The Bears, though, played their home games in Champaign, Illinois, that season while Soldier Field was being renovated.
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