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The Tennessee Titans have entered the market for a new head coach.
Mike Vrabel has been fired as the head coach of the Titans, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Vrabel just finished his sixth season in Tennessee. The team went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year after going 7-10 in 2022.
The Titans made three straight postseason appearances under Vrabel from 2019-2021. Vrabel was named Coach of the Year following Tennessee’s 12-5 campaign in 2021. He then signed an extension with the Titans prior to the 2022 season.
Schefter said the Titans fired Vrabel, while Ian Rapoport of NFL Media described the situation as both sides deciding to move on.
Whatever the case, Vrabel will now be one of the top candidates available for the other NFL head coach vacancies. It was reported this week that he has interest in one particular job.
More must-reads:
- Watch: Derrick Henry says goodbye to Titans fans following Jaguars upset
- 25 legendary NFL teams that never won the Super Bowl
- The 'Super Bowl XXXIX starters (Patriots vs. Eagles)' quiz
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Packers' concerning Tucker Kraft news comes at worst time possible
Ahead of an away Week 3 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, the Green Bay Packers were dealt a demoralizing blow in Thursday’s practice. Per ESPN’s Robert Demovsky, tight end Tucker Kraft has suffered a knee injury of unknown severity. It doesn’t sound great. The mere mention of “season-ending,” even preceded by “not,” is enough to send chills down the spines of Packers fans. Labeled a breakout candidate by many, Kraft was coming off a massive game against the Washington Commanders and is an integral part of the offense. Moreover, after losing Jayden Reed last week, Green Bay would benefit from having its more experienced targets available. Rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams are still finding their roles. Hopefully for Kraft and the Packers, he hasn’t suffered anything serious, but his status for Sunday is certainly up in the air. No Reed, possibly no Kraft. Still no Christian Watson. That's concerning for the Packers. Tucker Kraft going down now is an emotional blow more than anything On the bright side, the Packers might not need as much offensive firepower to hold off the Browns this Sunday. The Cleveland defense is strong, but so is Green Bay’s. Keeping the Browns’ Joe Flacco-led offense in check should not be the most formidable task in the world. If Micah Parsons — who has been unbelievably impressive thus far in Green Bay — and the defense can make Flacco uncomfortable and stymie opposing drives, the Packers offense won’t have to do as much. As of Thursday afternoon, Green Bay remains around a 7.5-point road favorite. The total is set at 41.5 across the board. Thus, a potential Kraft absence might not hit so hard this week. It’s more about what those tests indicate about his status moving forward. The possibility of losing Kraft for any extended period is an emotional crusher. Days after Reed had two surgeries is not the time to lose another key target. In Golden and Williams, plus Dontayvion Wicks and Romeo Doubs as resident “veterans,” the Packers' receiver room still has weapons, but its depth is being tested early.
Kyle Shanahan has surprising Brock Purdy update — 49ers are confident in QB situation regardless
Brock Purdy missed the San Francisco 49ers' Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints with a toe and left shoulder injury he suffered in Week 1. At the time, there was a chance that the injury could keep the quarterback out multiple weeks, but now head coach Kyle Shanahan has provided what seems to be a positive update for this weekend's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Kyle Shanahan provides key update on Brock Purdy "He wasn't limited last week," Shanahan said. "He does have a chance [to play]," Shanahan said on Wednesday, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. According to Wagoner's reporting, of the two injuries, the toe issue seems to be more significant, and it was considered the main reason Purdy didn't play in Week 2. It's similar to turf toe. He was in the 49ers' locker room after that game, though, and he told reporters that his status for the Week 3 game was, "we'll see." Connect those dots and it sounds like, at the very least, Purdy feels hopeful about his chances. If he's not fully back and able to go, he could also at least suit up and act as a backup for Mac Jones. San Francisco 49ers confident in Brock Purdy's backup If Purdy is out for the second straight week, Jones proved against the Saints that he can lead this team to a victory. The former first-round pick of the New England Patriots completed 26 of 39 passes against New Orleans for 279 yards and three touchdowns. On Monday, running back Christian McCaffrey was among the players in the locker room who expressed confidence in Jones. "In this league, whether or not you're a starter or a backup, you got to be ready to go at any point," McCaffrey said, per Wagoner. "In the NFL, you just never know. It's such a talented league and so many great players on the field. And Mac obviously is somebody who's proven himself already, but to have him as our backup is huge." Out of Alabama, Jones was selected with pick No. 15 in the 2021 NFL Draft as the "heir apparent" to Tom Brady in the final years of the Bill Belichick era in New England. He flashed talent but was never able to be consistent. He also had incredibly big shoes to fill, so a case could be made that he was doomed to fail from the very start of his NFL career. Jones started 42 games for the Patriots over three seasons, and he threw for 8,918 yards and 46 touchdowns compared to 36 interceptions. He's on a two-year, $8.4 million deal with the 49ers after spending the 2024 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
'That's a concern': Steelers' Omar Khan hears something a GM never wants to
The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a big change back in the 2022 offseason. Once the NFL Draft had been completed, the organization searched for its next general manager after Kevin Colbert was set to walk away. The franchise ended up promoting from within and gave the reins to long-time front office member Omar Khan. It's been clear since he got the keys to the kingdom that a physical brand of football would be emphasized, as his three first-round selections as the man in charge have been either on the offensive or defensive lines. While the team has made a conscious decision to build in the trenches, it hasn't panned out just yet. The defense allowed 299 yards rushing to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 Wild Card Round, and the offensive line has not been able to consistently protect the quarterback or help the rushing attack find a consistent groove. Reporter has concerns about the Steelers' player development On Wednesday, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hosted his weekly fan chat. Someone wanted to get the insider's thoughts on both sides of the ball on the line of scrimmage. The reporter did not mince words. "My thoughts are you are right. They want to play a physical brand of football, but they can't because their players are not developing at the rate they had hoped," Fittipaldo wrote. "When Omar was hired as the GM, that was one of his main goals. Get bigger and more physical and be able to maul teams." It didn't stop there for Fittipaldo. He brought Andy Weidl into the equation, who is Khan's partner-in-crime. The lack of development regarding several players has to be something that is leaving the front office uneasy. "I remember a quote from Andy Weidl from a while back about how physical offensive and defensive lines travel well in the playoffs," Fittipaldo noted. "And yet, three years into the new regime, the Steelers don't resemble a physical football team at all. I'm sure that's a concern for the front office." It's one thing to worry internally about a trend, but it's even worse when it's blatantly obvious for the outside world to see. The Steelers' front office simply cannot be happy with how the coaching staff is making it look. Players with promise are being selected, but not turning into the professionals that they should be. Head coach Mike Tomlin is continuously recognized as one of the best coaches in the NFL, but still, somehow, lacks a legitimate coaching tree. There are arguments to be made that he is seriously losing his ability to truly develop the players that are drafted, and the individuals on his staff aren't as qualified as he would like to believe they are. It's currently being seen with the young group that is on the roster in 2025, specifically those who operate in the trenches. There is still time remaining to turn the ship around, but it's fair for fans to start worrying about the franchise's recent drafts. It's hard to blame Khan specifically, or Weidl for that matter, because the coaching staff is in charge of getting young players ready to compete at the professional level. The NFL is played at a completely different speed than college, so Khan's goal of dominating the trenches only ends up working if the draftees are developed and coached the proper way. Steelers' Omar Khan and Andy Weidl not necessarily at fault for losing in the trenches While the goal in recent seasons has been clear from a front office perspective, the vision on the field has not exactly gone according to that plan. The best organizations are on the same page at every level, but something is missing in Pittsburgh right now. The coaching staff is running out of time to get certain young players up to speed, and that is only going to delay the team's ability to compete for a seventh Lombardi Trophy.
After announcing retirement, Clayton Kershaw's next stop is Cooperstown
The Los Angeles Dodgers are about to lose a franchise icon. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced on Thursday that he is retiring at the end of the season. Kershaw did not make his 2025 debut until May 17 but quickly showed that he still has something left in the tank. He has been a steady presence in a Dodgers team that has used 17 different starting pitchers this season, posting a 3.53 ERA and a 1.216 WHiP over 102 innings, striking out 71 batters with 30 walks. His 20 starts this season are second on the Dodgers, trailing only Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 2025 season has been a fitting capstone on Kershaw's career. An 11-time All-Star, Kershaw was a three-time Cy Young award winner and took home the 2014 National League MVP. He took home the pitching Triple Crown in 2011, one of just 22 pitchers to accomplish that feat. He became the 20th player, and fourth left-hander, in major league history to strike out 3000 batters, reaching that plateau on July 3. For all of Kershaw's accomplishments, there was one that had eluded the Dodgers' ace — a World Series ring. He was able to get that monkey off of his back in 2020 as the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. Kershaw was his dominant self during the series, allowing just three runs on seven hits and three walks over 11.2 innings, striking out 14 batters as the Dodgers won both of his starts. Kershaw has one more stop once he hangs up his cleats for good. Cooperstown will be calling once he is on the ballot, his dominance earning the highest honor in the game. It will be a well-deserved honor for a pitcher who was one of the best of his generation.
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