Titans Considered Firing Mike Vrabel…

The Titans considered firing Mike Vrabel in 2023; the head coach desired full roster control.

Interview requests for Mike Vrabel have not yet arrived, but they will almost surely do shortly. The highly rated HC is out after six Titans seasons, with Tennessee’s 2023 offseason creating the framework for his dismissal on Tuesday.

Confirming a previous report that Vrabel preferred Titans interim GM Ryan Cowden over Ran Carthon for the full-time position, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and Jon Rexrode report Vrabel suggested to Amy Adams Strunk that the team make Carthon the assistant GM because Vrabel did not believe the former ex-49ers No. 3 executive — behind John Lynch and Adam Peters — was ready for the GM role (subscription required). Strunk’s relationship with Vrabel does not appear to have recovered as a result of her reaction to that proposition.

According to Russini and Rexrode, despite reports of a schism between Vrabel and Carthon, the latter was not engaged in the firing. Carthon arrived in Tennessee after six years in San Francisco, where he was hired on January 17, 2023. The former 49ers director of pro personnel interviewed for the Cardinals’ general manager position last year. Peters turned down offers from Arizona and Tennessee and is now a finalist for Washington’s director of football operations position.

The Titans began tearing down their former power structure by removing Jon Robinson in December 2022, ten months after extending the GM’s contract until 2027. While Vrabel was not involved in driving Robinson out, the six-year head coach later pushed his case for full roster control, according to The Athletic, believing he had earned it. Strunk was opposed to giving a head coach such responsibility, citing concerns with Jeff Fisher’s management during the latter half of his career at Tennessee.

This request, along with Vrabel’s stance on Carthon, appears to have strained his relationship with ownership, with Russini and Rexrode claiming Strunk did not believe the head coach had enough faith in her. This did not lead to Vrabel wishing to leave, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler reporting that the defense-minded HC wanted to give the Titans another year despite trade rumors, and that Strunk coordinated this decision.

Strunk pondered firing Vrabel last year, but he still trusted in him as a head coach, according to Russini and Rexrode. Her intention at the time was to start over, despite the fact that she had earlier authorized a contract extension for the former linebacker through 2025. Furthermore, the Titans’ next draft will be Carthon’s first. Cowden is thought to have overseen the Titans’ 2023 draft board for continuity reasons. Teams frequently move on from scouts and executives after the draft to avoid upsetting things before making big-picture investments, but it is unusual for another good candidate for GM to possess such power. Cowden was fired by the Titans shortly after the draft and is now with the Giants.

The Titans’ long-term future is heavily reliant on the 2023 draft. The franchise was active in trade talks with the Cardinals in Round 1, with C.J. Stroud being the team’s pre-draft objective, and did move up for Will Levis the following night. Carthon indicated Tuesday that the organization will choose a head coach who is interested in developing Levis, and he also mentioned first-round pick Peter Skoronski as a possible long-term left tackle (via Titans.com’s Jim Wyatt). Skoronski was maintained at guard by the Titans during his rookie season, despite the fact that the Northwestern standout had only played tackle in college.

Fall events also played a role in Vrabel’s demise. Strunk had hoped to keep Vrabel until November, but the Titans’ 19-16 overtime loss to the Texans in Week 15 appears to have been the final straw. Strunk was ready to move on at that point, despite Vrabel’s three consecutive playoff appearances (from 2019-21). According to The Athletic, Strunk was also unhappy with Vrabel’s visit to Foxborough during the Titans’ bye week. That week, the Patriots enshrined Vrabel into their Hall of Fame, and he was spotted sitting with Robert Kraft for the subsequent Buffalo-New England game in October.

Strunk’s firing record, which includes removing Mike Mularkey following a divisional-round trip, has earned him a reputation for being rash. Despite the Titans’ sub.500 record over the last two years, the Vrabel transfer will not help. A lot of teams are likely to be interested in Vrabel as a head coach candidate, with Bill Belichick’s departure putting the Patriots — who have considered Vrabel as a potential “home run” appointment — at the top of that list. The Chargers, Commanders, and Raid

ers could also have interest, Russini and Rexrode add. It will be interesting to see if Vrabel seeks major personnel input with his next team.