The Tennessee Titans have fired Head Coach Mike Vrabel after six seasons. Vrabel joined the Titans in 2018, taking over from Mike Mularkey. Vrabel previously spent time on the Houston Texans as a defensive coach.
Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel, per sources.
Vrabel led Tennessee to four consecutive winning seasons after arriving in 2018, but the Titans have experienced back-to-back frustrating seasons, finishing multiple games under .500 both times.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 9, 2024
Tennessee Titans Fire Mike Vrabel
Vrabel’s Titans entered 2023 with an ageing roster but some playoff aspirations. While most wrote them off in a tough AFC, DeAndre Hopkins’ arrival suggested that rookie General Manager Ran Carthon believed his side could make a run at the playoffs.
However, it was not meant to be. Despite the help of household names like Hopkins and Derrick Henry, the Titans finished with their worst record of the Vrabel era.
As with all coach firings, the writing was may have been on the wall when Tennessee entered 2023 with expectations but without a franchise quarterback.
Ryan Tannehill’s 2022 season suggested his career was over and rookie second-round quarterback Will Levis did not appear ready for NFL reps. The inconsistent and ineffective play at quarterback ultimately made Vrabel’s job much harder than it needed to be.
For Vrabel, the silver lining is that his defensive unit was above average. Tennessee’s defense was average in terms of yards allowed, but was solid in third down and red zone situations.
From the Titans’ perspective, Vrabel’s culling makes sense. A disappointing 2023 season coupled with a new young quarterback (Levis), new General Manager and ageing stars suggests that a rebuild is on the cards.
Despite an underwhelming season, Vrabel leaves the Titans as the team’s longest-serving Head Coach since Jeff Fisher. He also boasts the winningest record with the team over the Titans era (since 1999). Vrabel was Tennessee’s only coach to win Coach of the Year (2021) since Sid Gillman in 1974.
Under his tutelage, Tennessee managed a 2-3 record in the playoffs. The team’s deepest playoff run came in 2019. They beat the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Conference Championship.
Main Photo: Troy Toarmina – USA Today Sports
