Dean Pees' retirement lasted less than a month.
The former Ravens defensive coordinator is returning to the NFL to join forces with one of his favorite former players.
Pees will take over as new coach Mike Vrabel's defensive coordinator in Tennessee, the team announced on Tuesday. Former Los Angeles Ramsoffensive coordinator Matt LaFleur will join as the Titans' next offensive coordinator.
Pees was linebackers coach (2004-2005) and defensive coordinator (2006-2009) under Bill Belichick when Vrabel was starring for the Patriots last decade.
During his stint in New England, the Pats were the only NFL team to finish in the top 10 in scoring defense in four consecutive seasons.
The 68-year-old had been John Harbaugh's defensive overlord in Baltimore for past six seasons before walking away early this month. Armed with a reputation as one of the league's premier schemers, Pees will be a veteran sounding board for the neophyte head coach.
Pees isn't the only member of the family joining Vrabel's staff. His son Matt is being hired as a defensive assistant.
Vrabel also tried to poach defensive quality control coach DeMeco Ryans from San Francisco, according to The Tennessean, but the 49ersrejected the request for an interview with the former Eagles and Texans linebacker.
Now that Pees is in the fold, Vrabel's next order of business will be finding the right offensive coordinator to develop Marcus Mariota on the other side of the ball.
