Titans let playoff-winning Mularkey go
The Tennessee Titans believe the potential reward from quarterback Marcus Mariota working with his third head coach in his fourth NFL season outweighs the risk of change. Or sticking with the same coach.
So now the Titans are looking for a new coach to replace Mike Mularkey, who was fired yesterday, and build off the franchise’s first playoff win in 14 years to make them a true NFL contender.
Less than 48 hours after a 35-14 loss to the Patriots in the AFC divisional round, Mularkey was let go after reviving a team with the NFL’s worst record over two seasons and leading them to their first playoff victory in 14 years. He became the first coach let go after winning a playoff game since San Francisco fired Steve Mariucci after the 2002 season.
Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk turned to Mularkey in November 2015 when she fired Ken Whisenhunt after 23 games. Mularkey went 2-7 down the stretch as the Titans finished 3-13 to land the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2016. That capped a 5-27 record over 2014 and 2015 that was the NFL’s worst.
Mularkey led the Titans to back-to-back 9-7 records, their first consecutive winning records since 2007-08. He finished with a 21-22 record after a season in which the Titans cost themselves the AFC South title with a threegame skid in December and needed to beat the Jaguars, now in the AFC Championship Game, to reach the postseason for the first time since 2008.
In Mularkey’s first full season, the Titans led the NFL in scoring touchdowns inside the red zone Mariota threw 26 touchdowns with only nine interceptions.
This season, Mariota had his worst season yet with a careerworst 15 interceptions and 13 touchdowns. And the run game, the basis of Mularkey’s offense, slumped to 15th in the NFL.
Giants wait for Shurmur
Pat Shurmur is poised to become the 18th head coach of the New York Giants, according to the NFL Network.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator still has to finish the playoff run with his current team, but according to the network’s source the Giants will offer him the job when he becomes available and Shurmur is expected to accept it. Shurmur also spent three seasons with the Eagles as offensive coordinator.
The Giants had three finalists for the job: Shurmur, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia. McDaniels reportedly could be the next coach of the Colts, while Patricia reportedly is headed to be the next coach of the Lions.
Pro Bowl coaching staffs
The coaching staffs of the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints have been selected to work the Pro Bowl on Jan. 28.
Mike Tomlin and his Steelers coaches, who lost Sunday to Jacksonville in the divisional round of the playoffs, will handle the AFC. Sean Payton and his coaches, who fell to Minnesota on Sunday, will guide the NFC . . . .
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane has been arrested on investigation of driving under the influence. Records in Seattle’s King County Jail show he was booked at 5:30 a.m. Sunday and released less than four hours later on his own recognizance after posting $1,000 bail.
The Seahawks said they are aware of the arrest but had no further comment. The 27-year-old Lane has been with the Seahawks since 2012.