Sports

NFL: Titans fire Vrabel after 6 seasons as head coach

By Jake Beardslee · January 10, 2024

The Tennessee Titans have fired head coach Mike Vrabel after six seasons at the helm, the team announced on Tuesday. Vrabel led the Titans to a 6-11 record this past season, their worst mark during his tenure.

“Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coach,” Titans 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.”

Vrabel was hired by the Titans in 2018 as a first-time head coach after four seasons as an assistant with the Houston Texans. The 48-year-old found early success in Tennessee, leading the team to three straight playoff appearances from 2019-2021. His crowning achievement came in 2021 when he was named NFL Coach of the Year after guiding the Titans to a 12-5 record and an AFC South title.

However, Tennessee took a step back over the past two seasons. They missed the playoffs at 9-7 in 2021 before plummeting to a 6-11 mark this season. With the team trending in the wrong direction, Strunk opted to make a change.

Vrabel now joins Mike McCarthy (Cowboys), Sean Payton (Saints), Nathaniel Hackett (Broncos), Josh McDaniels (Raiders), Ron Rivera (Commanders), Arthur Smith (Falcons), and Frank Reich (Colts) as NFL head coaches relieved of their duties since the end of last season.

The Titans job opens up at an intriguing time, as speculation swirls about Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s future in New England. Vrabel won three Super Bowls under Belichick as a player, so some believe he could be a candidate to replace his former coach.