Why did the Titans fire Mike Vrabel? Report reveals Titans ownership's issues with former HC

Mike Vrabel's six-year tenure with the Tennesse Titans came to an abrupt end after owner Amy Adams Strunk decided to part ways with the head coach. Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with the New England Patriots, was a popular figure among fans. His exit, a recent report suggests, was down to friction between him and the ownership.

Until late this season, Strunk and Vrabel had a good, collaborative relationship that made Vrabel arguably the most prominent face of the Titans organization. However, as the season went on, cracks began to appear.

The Athletic reports that Strunk wanted the franchise to take a different direction. Tensions rose after the former hired general manager Ran Carthon, as Vrabel was in favor of Ryan Cowden becoming the GM. Cowden had run the entire 2023 draft board but was sacked immediately afterward.

Mike Vrabel still has two years left on his contract with the Titans and will be one of the best coaching candidates available in the free market. The Titans' decision not to trade Vrabel has been criticized by fans and analysts alike.

Other issues that caused the Titans to fire Mike Vrabel

The Titans were sold on Ron Carthon's vision, with the franchise wanting to evolve and modernize its process behind the scenes. Mike Vrabel wasn’t resistant to using analytics on the field but was not in favor of letting go of control.

The Athletic reports Vrabel wanted full control over the roster and Strunk pointedly disagreed. The former head coach further disagreed with the Carthon appointment, suggesting that he wasn't 'ready to be GM.'

Mike Vrabel's visit to New England and his comments further fuelled the discord between him and the ownership. Speaking before a win against his former side, the three-time Super Bowl champ said:

"I don’t want you to take this organization for granted. I’ve been a lot of places, this is a special place with great leadership, great fans, great direction, and great coaching. Enjoy it. It’s not like this everywhere.”

The comments did not go down well in Tennessee and Vrabel denied making a direct statement if his comments were directed at the Titans organization. Reports followed that the head coach was disgruntled and wanted to follow his way out, with him being the favorite to replace Bill Belichick in New England.

The Titans ended the season on Sunday with a 28-20 win against the Jaguars. Vrabel's stint effectively ended on Tuesday with Strunk and team president Burke Nihill eventually conveying the decision.

While Mike Vrabel had a tough time of it the last two seasons, he is unlikely to remain in the free market for long. He is expected to be in the fray for a lot of openings with the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots all in need of a new head coach.