Farewell, Mike Vrabel

Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, two days after the final game of the 2023 season. Vrabel is the third-winningest coach in franchise history and one of three to guide the team at least as far as the AFC Championship game. ... The decision was not necessarily a shock, given reports about his job status in recent weeks. However, Strunk offered no concrete answer to the question of why she made the move, and general manager Ran Carthon followed up with even less clarity on the issue at a press conference. Similarly, no one was willing – or able – to provide any detail about what they hope to find in Vrabel's replacement. ... Vrabel was 6-18 over his final 24 regular season contests, but posted a winning record (54-45) overall. Plus, his winning percentage in games decided by seven points or fewer was even better, and his winning percentage in games decided by three points or fewer was even better than that. Regardless of overall talent, his teams displayed consistency in several key areas that will be difficult to replicate. ... The general thinking is that Vrabel, the 2021 NFL Coach of the Year, will get another job as quickly as he wants to get back to work. At present, there are six other NFL franchises in search of a head coach, but his ultimate destination might be someplace else. ... Sunday's 28-20 victory over Jacksonville was a satisfying end to an otherwise disappointing season, and a fitting way to close the book on the Titans' tenures of two notable performers, Derrick Henry and Rayn Tannehill – and ultimately their head coach.