Many were stunned by Mike Vrabel’s sudden firing just over 48 hours ago, which has resulted in the departure of not one, but THREE famous coaches. Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk explained the move by saying:
“I was just not willing to go to the back of the line and missing out on somebody we really wanted.”
Nonetheless, given what the New Orleans Saints received as compensation for the services of Super Bowl-winning head coach Sean Payton just last year, it is reasonable to conclude that the Titans likely sacrificed a first-round pick in this upcoming draft in order to act quickly. Especially given that, despite rumors of Mike Vrabel’s departure during the winter, he never submitted a formal trade request to the team.
Why Did Mike Vrabel Get Fired By The Tennessee Titans?
Mike Vrabel’s contract appears to have been terminated due to his difficult connection with Amy Adams Strunk, rather than his on-field performance, which has been subpar these last two years.
While the Tennessee Titans’ overtime defeat to the Houston Texans without CJ Stroud appears to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, the underlying reasons for Vrabel’s departure go much deeper.
The Tennessee Titans controlling owner appeared to have a problem with Mike Vrabel’s actions over the last year, beginning with Vrabel’s lack of faith in new general manager, Ran Carthon’s readiness to be an NFL GM, and a desire to have more control over personnel decision making.
Three team or league sources say Vrabel made two statements to Strunk during the hiring process to replace GM Jon Robinson, who was sacked by Strunk late last season. Vrabel demanded complete control of the roster, claiming that he had earned it, and Strunk flatly refused.
Strunk has long held the belief that head coaches should not have complete control, citing the way things went for the Titans in the final years of Jeff Fisher’s tenure and watching from afar the issues that arose for the Patriots with Bill Belichick and the Texans with Bill O’Brien.
When Carthon was almost hired, Vrabel told Strunk that he liked him but didn’t think he was ready to be an NFL general manager. Vrabel’s suggestion: The Titans appoint Carthon as assistant general manager, a promotion from No. 3 on the 49ers’ pecking order.
Strunk was not pleased with this notion, and team insiders believe the conversation strained her and Vrabel’s relationship.
Strunk was also disappointed by Vrabel’s statements in October, in which he stated:
“I don’t want you to take for granted this organization. I’ve gone to a lot of locations, but here is a special environment with fantastic leadership, fans, direction, and coaching. Have fun with it. This is not the case everywhere.”
These words, which appeared to be a jab at the Titans’ organizational processes, did not go unnoticed by the Hollywood actress’s half-name, and they stayed with her for a long time.
And, despite all of this ongoing conflict between ownership and management, Amy Adams Strunk genuinely wanted to keep Vrabel until November – but the culmination of all of these other ego-wrecking bruises, as well as the former head coach’s battle with Strunk and Carthon over the implementation of a new analytics team, all but left the writing on the wall.
The good news is that this appears to be a win-win situation for everyone. The Titans have a declining roster with big holes at receiver (past a semi-resurgent DeAndre Hopkins), a woeful pass defense, and big questions about their quarterback’s future, as it remains to be seen whether Will Levis will be able to take the next step in his development as a passer and player. In some ways, this is the ideal opportunity for Vrabel to get a fresh start, with the remainder of his contract paid out, and choose a new team – among many – that he believes is the best fit for him.
The Titans, on the other hand, have the potential to start over with a new coach, a quarterback on a rookie contract, and a GM who can bring in his guy as head coach. It remains to be seen who will emerge as the winner of this divorce in five years, but suffice it to say that once Strunk completed her termination meeting with Vrabel in just two minutes, there will be no love lost between the two sides.
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