The Super Bowl is a highly elusive achievement. Winning it once is, for many, the highlight of their careers. However, doing it both as a player and a coach is a feat very rarely seen in the NFL.
We’ve seen players win with different teams, with Tom Brady being the most famous name of that group after succeeding with both the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But only a few who triumphed as players went on to repeat the feat as coaches.
The only ones to win the Super Bowl both as a player and coach were Tom Flores, Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy, and Doug Pederson. Of this list, only Flores has more than two rings, having won one as a player and two as a HC.
Has any NFL coach ever won the Super Bowl both as a player and coach on the same team?
The answer to this question is not yet. Vrabel had the chance to become the first one in Super Bowl LX, but his Patriots lost to the Seahawks. Tom Flores won the Super Bowl as a backup quarterback with the Chiefs, but his coaching rings came with the Raiders.
Mike Ditka won it as a tight end for the Cowboys in Super Bowl VI, but won it as a coach of the Bears in Super Bowl XX against the Patriots. Tony Dungy won it as a Steeler during his playing days, but he coached the Colts to Super Bowl glory over the Bears in the 2006 season. Lastly, Doug Pederson won the Super Bowl as a backup quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, and then coached the Eagles to earn the Lombardi. Both of Pederson’s rings came against the Patriots.
When did Vrabel win his Super Bowl rings?
Vrabel played eight years for the Patriots as one of the team’s best linebackers. He played four Super Bowls, winning Super Bowls XXXVI over the Rams, XXXVIII over the Panthers, and XXXIX over the Eagles. He lost Super Bowl XLII against the Giants.
Vrabel had 17 total tackles, three sacks, one forced fumble and scored two total touchdowns, receiving one against the Panthers and other against the Eagles. Vrabel was an absolute leader during the first half of the Patriots dynasty.