What does Mike Vrabel's firing mean for the Titans, Patriots? - ESPN

The Tennessee Titans fired coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, marking the end of a six-year run.

Vrabel had winning records in his first four seasons and started 7-3 in his fifth before the wheels came off in Nashville. The Titans lost their final seven games of the 2022 season and missed the playoffs for the first time since Vrabel's first season in Tennessee in 2018. That losing streak would carry over to this season before Tennessee finally snapped it in Week 2.

Still, Vrabel was 6-18 in his final 24 games, and controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk felt like it was time to make a move two days after the season ended.

«As I continued to assess the state of our team, I arrived at the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the fresh approach and perspective of a new coaching staff,» Strunk said in a statement.

Vrabel, 48, becomes the sixth coach to be fired this season.

As Vrabel ends his tenure with the Titans with a 54-45 record, ESPN's experts weigh in on what the move means for Vrabel, the Titans and the rest of the NFL.

The Titans are coming off a second consecutive down season, and there was a lot of talk around the team in recent weeks that there would be postseason meetings about the direction of the franchise. It also seemed clear that Vrabel and first-year general manager Ran Carthon weren't on the same page about everything. I'm not sure it's as simple as «one of them had to go,» but Amy Adams Strunk's statement made it clear that a big part of the reason for this move was to make sure the coach and GM are aligned going forward, and that she didn't think that would be the case if Vrabel stayed. So, knowing that, you make the move now so you can get going on your search. — Dan Graziano

• If not now, when for