Titans fire Mike Vrabel
The Tennessee Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel, the team announced Tuesday.
"Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coach," owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. "As I told coach Vrabel, this decision was as difficult as any I've made as controlling owner.
"I appreciate Mike's contributions to the Tennessee Titans both on and off the field. Anyone who has ever met him knows how passionate and genuine he is, and he's been a strong supporter of the Nashville community."
Adams stated the team did consider trading Vrabel but ultimately decided to just move forward with firing him to speed up the process of his departure.
"A coach's contract, you can't trade them unless they are a willing partner to that trade. So yes, we thought about it. But at the end of the day, with league rules the way they are, it would have maybe put us back three weeks," Adams said in an interview released by the team.
Vrabel has been the Titans' head coach since 2018 after spending four seasons as a defensive coach with the Houston Texans.
Tennessee finished 6-11 in 2023, securing its second straight losing campaign. The team began its season 2-4 and was never a serious playoff contender.
The Titans started 7-3 in 2022 but lost seven straight contests to finish the season and lose the AFC South. Vrabel went 6-18 in his final 24 games as Tennessee's head coach. The Titans previously had four straight winning seasons from 2018-21 under Vrabel.
"Wow. I'm shocked," Titans running back Derrick Henry told Russini. "Coach Vrabel is a leader of men. He is a great coach and teacher. I know he will get another opportunity right away. I look forward to it."
Tennessee has struggled offensively over the last two years, ranking 28th and 27th in points per game. The Titans traded star wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft and have never replaced his production.
The club selected quarterback Will Levis with the No. 33 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Kentucky product finished the season with a 3-6 record in nine starts, throwing for 1,808 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
Tennessee is set for a roster overhaul, as Henry and veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill are not expected to return. The Titans own the No. 7 selection in the upcoming draft and currently have $71 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap.
Vrabel finishes his tenure with a 54-45 record. He led the Titans to three playoff appearances, including an AFC Championship Game berth in 2019.
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