Titans head coach Mike Vrabel nonchalant about being on the hot seat
Mike Vrabel was fortunate enough to experience great success during his first four seasons as head coach of the Tennessee Titans.
But over the last season and a half, Vrabel’s Titans have been a below-average team, and some are curious if he will be coaching in Tennessee in 2024. Justified or not, Vrabel admitted he understands why the question is being asked. He also added that right now, his job security is far from his mind.
“I don’t try to concern myself with that,” Vrabel said, via Paul Kuharsky. “I really am focused on these players. I hurt for them. I played 14 years, won some games, won some championships — I am frustrated for the players, I’m disappointed for the players. I want them to have success. I know how hard they work and how hard they put into it, so that’s what my focus is. … I’ll let [the media] fire me each week or not fire me. I apologize; I appreciate the question — I do. I will always understand it. We have to improve and we have to win.”
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired former general manager Jon Robinson in Week 14 last season when the team was 7-5. She cited Robinson’s failure to live up to “higher aspirations,” and an argument could be made that Vrabel is walking the same line.
The Titans' 34-14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday was their seventh of the year, and they’re on track to finish with a losing record for just the second time in six seasons under Vrabel.
Tennessee averaged 10.25 wins per season in Vrabel’s first four years with three playoff appearances, two division titles and an AFC Championship game appearance. But the Titans are 10-17 since 2022 — a season in which they went 12-5 and finished as the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Vrabel’s 51 wins are third all-time in franchise history behind only Jeff Fisher (110) and Bum Phillips (55), and his .554 winning percentage is fourth all-time among Titans coaches with 30 or more games. Vrabel’s resume likely makes a solid case for him coming back next season, especially considering he’s working with a first-time GM this year in Ran Carthon.
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