For the first seven games of the 2015 season, Ken Whisenhunt served as the Tennessee Titans head coach, but after a 1-6 start, Whisenhunt was replaced by Mike Mularkey as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
After the season, the Titans interviewed three coaching candidates including Mike Mularkey. Former Buffalo Bills coach and Jaguars assistant, Doug Marrone, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austi and Ray Horton, the Titans defensive coordinator. In the end however, the Titans opted for Mularkey.
The Titans also decided not to bring back general manager Rustin Webster, instead they hired Tampa Bay executive Jon Robinson to replace him.
“I am honored to be named the head coach of the Titans,” Mularkey said in a statement released by the team. “I will give all that I have to make this team successful and our city and fans proud.”
“The last two months of the season were extremely valuable in order to understand our personnel and instill some of our values and standards of play, so we won’t be starting from scratch. With that as a basis, we will now be installing some new systems and bringing in new coaches and players to build on what we have started. There is plenty of work to be done until we reach our goal, but we will all work tirelessly to get us there.”
One person who is very happy about Mularkey being named the head coach is the Titans young quarterback Marcus Mariota, who heard the news directly from Mularkey himself.
“I am very excited for him. He is definitely a man that deserves the job,” Mariota said. ” I look forward to being able to work with him. He is very excited. We are going to focus on what is going on now and finding ways to get better. I can’t wait to get there and work.”
Mariota, who was selected second overall by the Titans this past season, also expressed happiness.
“Our relationship has been great,” Mariota said of Mularkey. “He did an incredible job with what happened this year and handling everything. I am very excited to have him as a coach and I look forward to getting to work
” I am sure guys are excited. He’s definitely a players’ coach, and we are very blessed to have him. We can’t wait to move forward. “
In Mariota’s 12 starts during his rookie season, he completed 230-of-370 (62.2%) passes for 2,818 yards, with 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His final passing rating was 91.5.
Mularkey is likely to make changes to the coaching staff that he inherited from Ken Whisenhunt. However, many of the assistants have deals that expire on Feb. 15.
Mularkey coached the Buffalo Bills in 2004-05, posting a 9-7 and 5-11 records. He also coached the 2012 Jacksonville Jaguars to a 2-14 record before becoming the Titans tight ends coach. And as the Titans interim head coach, he went 2-7. That’s a career record of 18-39, which means he’ll have to show quick improvement for a franchise that only has five wins in the last two seasons.
A press conference is scheduled for Monday to introduce both Jon Robinson, the new general manager and Mike Mularkey, the new head coach.
