Conflicting reports prove nobody knows what the future holds for Titans
Depending on which NFL insider you believe, Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel may or may not be the team’s head coach by the end of the week.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday that Vrabel’s future with the team is up in the air and that Titans brass could decide whether he’s staying or going this week.
However, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, who’s pretty in tune with the Titans goings on, refuted Schefter’s report, proving no one really knows what’s going on behind closed doors at Saint Thomas Sports Park.
Vrabel has been linked a lot recently to the New England Patriots head coaching job should they part ways with longtime HC Bill Belichick. It’s also been reported that Vrabel is unhappy with the team’s front office, suggesting he doesn’t have the greatest relationship with general manager Ran Carthon, who was hired over former VP of player personnel Ryan Cowden — the guy Vrabel reportedly wanted as Jon Robinson’s successor, not Carthon.
Other than speculation and some logical dot connecting by local reporters in the Boston area (many of whom have plenty of incentive to stir the pot), there hasn’t been much tangible evidence to suggest there’s any sort of a rift between Vrabel and Carthon.
In fact, Vrabel himself even refuted such reports last week.
“Of course I want to be here,” he told reporters.
“... I really have never responded to any of those (rumors), and we’re not going to start now. I know where we’re at as an organization, I’m excited to build this thing and to fix this thing and get it to where we want it to be — to win championships — with Ran … and everybody.”
It makes little sense for Vrabel to bail on the Titans now after he spent the last week defending how much he’s invested in his players and the team’s success. Especially since it appears Tennessee has its franchise quarterback in Will Levis and running back Derrick Henry’s heir apparent in place as well with Tyjae Spears.
Sure, Vrabel is a logical successor to Belichick in New England should that job become available.
But the Titans have Vrabel under contract for two more seasons with a team option for an additional year, and there’s zero chance controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk let’s one of the top coaches in the NFL (6-11 record notwithstanding) leave right as she’s beginning a rebuild with a little more than $76M in cap space to burn, per Over the Cap.
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