Vrabel out after six seasons as Titans coach
Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk wants a fresh approach to compete in the NFL, so she fired coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday morning after six seasons and losing 18 of the past 24 games.
Strunk said in a statement it was a decision “as difficult as any I've made.”
But she said she believes teams best positioned to win must be aligned and collaborate across the board. The Titans started that shift a year ago, hiring Ran Carthon as the franchise's first Black general manager and expanding its analytics staff. More changes were needed to “fully achieve our vision.”
Strunk said she assessed the team throughout the season in an interview released by the team. The Titans went 7-10 in 2022 and just finished a 6-11 season Sunday.
The announcement came a day after the Titans cleaned out their lockers with Vrabel not speaking to reporters. It was the first time in the franchise's 27 seasons in Tennessee the head coach did not talk to reporters since the team moved to the state from Texas.
Several Titans, from rookie quarterback Will Levis to two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons, all said they wanted to keep Vrabel as their coach.
The Titans hired Carthon from San Francisco where he spent six seasons. The Niners have made the playoffs three straight seasons and four of five, including reaching Super Bowl 54, and currently are the NFC's No. 1 seed.
Hired in January 2018, Vrabel went 56-48 overall, including a 2-3 record in the playoffs that included reaching the AFC championship game in the 2019 season as part of three straight playoff berths.
JAGUARS CLEAN HOUSE
>> Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson has fired nine assistants in total, including running backs coach Bernie Parmalee.
Parmalee's exit was announced Tuesday, a day after Pederson dismissed defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell and seven of his assistants on that side of the ball.
Pederson also declined to renew the expiring contract of assistant offensive line coach Todd Washington.
The moves came after the biggest late-season collapse in franchise history. The Jaguars were 8-3 and atop the AFC South in late November before losing five of six games down the stretch and missing the playoffs.
Jacksonville ended the season with the loss at Tennessee in what had become a win-and-in finale. Defense was a huge issue in that one — Derrick Henry ran for a seasonhigh 153 yards — as well as the other five losses in December and January. STEELERS ARE STICKING WITH QB RUDOLPH >> Mason Rudolph's unlikely renaissance will continue into the playoffs.
Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he is sticking with the former third-string quarterback ahead of a trip to AFC East champion Buffalo on Sunday.
Rudolph is 3-0 as a starter since taking over for an ineffective Mitch Trubisky before a game against Cincinnati on Dec. 23. While starter Kenny Pickett has fully recovered from right ankle surgery in early December, Tomlin doesn't want to chance derailing the rhythm Pittsburgh's offense has found under Rudolph.
COLTS OWNER IRSAY BEING TREATED FOR SEVERE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS >> Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is being treated for a severe respiratory illness and will be unable to perform with his band later this week, team officials said.
The announcement comes three days after Indy was eliminated from playoff contention with a 23-19 loss to the Houston Texans.