Titans fire coach Mike Vrabel after six seasons،
The Tennessee Titans fired coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk released the following statement on Tuesday:
“Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coaching. As I told Coach Vrabel, this decision was also tougher than any I've taken on as a controlling owner,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said. said in a statement.
Vrabel's firing comes a year after the Titans made a change at general manager, hiring Ran Carthon.
“As the NFL continues to innovate and evolve, I believe the teams best positioned for sustained success will be those that enable an aligned and collaborative team across all functions of football. Last year, we initiated a change in our approach to football leadership and made several changes to our staff to advance this plan. As I continued to evaluate the state of our team, I came to the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the new approach and perspective of a new coaching staff,” Strunk said.
Vrabel, 48, led Tennessee to four straight winning seasons after arriving in 2018, but the Titans had back-to-back frustrating seasons, finishing multiple games below .500 each time.
The Titans finished 6-11 this season.
“I will never hesitate to acknowledge that I have unapologetically high expectations for the football team and all aspects of the Titans organization. Our vision is not simply to produce more wins than losses, it is to consistently compete for championships. Although this season has been disappointing, I see the first signs of progress emerging. Last year, we added a promising young quarterback and several other talented players to our roster. With a coaching search, enviable draft space and a top-10 draft position, this offseason is as big as any in our history. I'm excited about the weeks and months to come. We will meet the moment,” Strunk said in his statement.
The Titans selected quarterback Will Levis in the second round of last year's draft and he started nine games this season. The Titans hold the 7th pick in the 2024 draft.
Titans star running back Derrick Henry, who will become a free agent in March, told The Athletic he was shocked by Vrabel's firing.
“Wow. Wow. I'm shocked. Coach Vrabel is a leader among men. He's a great coach and teacher. I know he'll get another opportunity right away. I'm looking forward to it,” did he declare.
Vrabel guided Tennessee to back-to-back AFC South championships in 2020 and 2021, and the Titans earned the AFC's No. 1 seed in 2021, the same year Vrabel was named coach of the year in the NFL.
Vrabel finishes his tenure with the Titans with a 54-45 record. He was 2-3 in the playoffs, including in 2019 when he led Tennessee to the AFC Championship Game.
