Mularkey, Tennessee part ways
Reports: McDaniels close to deal with Colts; Shurmur headed to NYG
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans and Mike Mularkey couldn’t agree on how to build off the team’s first playoff berth since 2008 and become a true NFL contender. That job will now fall to a new coach.
The Titans split with Mularkey on Monday after he revived a team with the NFL’s worst record over two seasons and led them to their first playoff victory in 14 years. The Titans announced the move two days after a 35-14 loss to New England in the AFC divisional round.
“It became evident that we saw different paths to achieve greater success,” controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said.
Mularkey had one year left on his contract and refused to discuss his status Sunday. But he said he had talked with Strunk and was ready to move “full speed” ahead. Mularkey also defended offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie’s play-calling with quarterback Marcus Mariota and said his coaching staff would be back as well.
Strunk said in a statement Monday she talked with Mularkey about extending his contract over the past week since a 22-21 comeback win vs. Kansas City in the wild-card round.
Mularkey is the first coach let go after winning a playoff game since San Francisco fired Steve Mariucci after the 2002 season.
General manager Jon Robinson will oversee his first coaching search with the Titans. He was hired two days before Mularkey had the interim title removed in January 2016. The Titans are the seventh NFL team to change coaches since the start of the season.
A person with knowledge of the Titans’ coaching search said LA Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur will interview for the post.
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could soon be on the other side of an AFC rivalry.
A person familiar with the negotiations said Monday the Indianapolis Colts are “close” to reaching a deal that would make McDaniels their next head coach. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the two sides had not yet agreed to terms.
Even if they did reach a deal, though, league rules prohibit the Colts from making an official announcement until after the Patriots’ season ends. New England will host Jacksonville in Sunday’s AFC championship game. If the Pats win, the announcement wouldn’t come until at least Feb. 5.
McDaniels has been one of the league’s most coveted coordinators since returning to New England in 2012. Since then, the Pats have reached six consecutive conference titles games and won two Super Bowls.
Pat Shurmur is poised to become the 18th head coach of the Giants, according to the NFL Network.
The 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. A source confirmed those expectations to Newsday on Monday, but cautioned that minds can change and nothing is official.
Because the Vikings remain in the postseason thanks to Sunday’s thrilling comeback win over the Saints, the Giants cannot officially speak with Shurmur again until next week when the team either is eliminated by the Eagles in the NFC title game or during the bye week prior to Super Bowl LII. Saints coach Sean Payton unsuccessfully challenged two calls on the same series in the fourth quarter against Minnesota: Jarius Wright’s 27-yard catch and Case Keenum’s knee not being down before he released the ball.
“Two very bad challenges by the Saints,” tweeted Tony Dungy. “Not sure who is talking to Sean Payton in the Coaches booth but they have given him poor information.”
Payton later explained the monitor in the team’s booth was malfunctioning, so he didn’t have an assistant warning him not to throw his challenge flag.