Mike Vrabel was a starter, a leader and a teacher, and then he hurt his knee. The Chiefs were in danger of being in real trouble. Vrabel, a veteran outside linebacker, was one of Kansas City’s most consistent defenders before the injury, but more than that he was an older player willing to teach youngsters how to handle the baton when the time came for Vrabel to give it away. He’d follow young defenders off the field, emphasizing points they might have missed and underscoring things they might not have seen.

More...