NASHVILLE, Tennessee – Jadeveon Clowney said Thursday he was confident he made the right decision to join the Tennessee Titans because of his previous experience with head coach Mike Vrabel.
“I knew when I was with Vrabel in Houston I was in the second All-Pro team and three Pro Bowls. I was like, ‘I think I can do that here in this system that has worked so well. . ‘ Mike Vrabel is one of the smartest coaches I’ve ever had, ”said Clowney on his first media availability since signing with the Titans.
“He knows football and how to get guys in position to play. That’s what he did in Houston and when I got here. He’s already queuing up everywhere for me, and I keep making plays. . He thinks I’m a playmaker. With Mike Vrabel, I played a lot more [than] I did this when I was in Seattle. “
Clowney pointed to his athleticism and ability to take on anyone as the reason he recorded 9.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits and 21 tackles for a loss in 2017 when Vrabel called the shots for the Texans’ defense – all career highs.
Vrabel said on Thursday he knew the Titans were on the right path to signing the valuable free agent.
“It’s not really a sales pitch. We’re just looking for guys who want to be here,” Vrabel said when asked to court Clowney.
The Titans’ defense has a lot of fallout from what Clowney did in Houston, where he spent five years before being traded to the Seahawks last year. Knowing he would quickly understand, Clowney opted for Tennessee, which opens the season on Monday Night Football. The Titans expect the 27-year-old to be on the pitch to play even if he wasn’t there for training camp.
There were other contenders, like the New Orleans Saints and the Seattle Seahawks. Many players have reached out to Clowney to tell him they want him to be part of their defense. Prior to signing with Tennessee, Clowney called his former South Carolina and Texans teammate Johnathan Joseph, who is now with the Titans. Joseph’s contribution helped seal the deal after sharing how he watched the players fly around the pitch.
“If I know one thing about Mike Vrabel, whatever his team is, he’s going to make sure they play hard and fly towards the ball. I have to be a part of something like that at this point in my career.” , Clowney said.
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