The Tennessee Titans parted ways with Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, two years after he was named the NFL Coach of the Year.
The Titans finished with a 6-11 record and in last place in the AFC South this season, missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
“Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coach,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “I appreciate Mike’s contributions to the Tennessee Titans both on and off the field.”
Vrabel, 48, leaves Nashville with a 54-45 record over six seasons. The Titans reached the postseason for three straight seasons from 2019-21, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game after the 2019 campaign.
Vrabel was the Coach of the Year during the 2021 season after guiding Tennessee to a 12-5 record and its second straight division title.
“As the NFL continues to innovate and evolve, I believe the teams best positioned for sustained success will be those who empower an aligned and collaborative team across all football functions,” Adams Strunk said in her statement. “Last year, we began a shift in our approach to football leadership and made several changes to our personnel to advance that plan. As I continued to assess the state of our team, I arrived at the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the fresh approach and perspective of a new coaching staff.”
The Titans fired general manager Jon Robinson in December 2022, replacing him with Ran Carthon last January.
The firing of Vrabel admittedly caught Titans star running back Derrick Henry by surprise.
“Wow. Wow. I’m shocked,” Henry told The Athletic. “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.”
After a 14-year career as an NFL linebacker that included three Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots, Vrabel was an assistant coach at his alma mater Ohio State (2011-13) and with the Houston Texans (2014-17). He was the Texans’ defensive coordinator in his final season there before taking over the Titans in 2018.
In his final appearance, Vrabel guided the Titans to a 28-20 home win on Sunday against Jacksonville that knocked the rival Jaguars out of the playoffs.
–Field Level Media