Mike Vrabel Was Fired From the Titans After Two Consecutive Losing Seasons

Although the Tennessee Titans finished at just 6-11 in the 2023 NFL season, many were nonetheless surprised by the news that head coach Mike Vrabel, who has been with the team for six years, was fired. The Titans had two back-to-back losing seasons, but they had also seen plenty of success with Mike as their head coach.

Now, as the Titans begin their search for a new coach, many are wondering exactly why Mike got fired. Here's everything we know about why Mike Vrabel was ultimately fired from the Tennessee Titans.

Mike was fired even though he had made three playoff appearances during his six seasons with the team, including one AFC Championship appearance. According to a source who spoke to The Tennessean, Mike was fired in large part because his philosophy on collaboration between the coaching staff and the front office didn't align with what the team wants to do moving forward.

For the majority of his time as head coach, Mike had worked under general manager Jon Robinson. Under that system, Robinson had the bulk of the decision-making power for the entire team. Current GM Ran Carthon reportedly wanted a more collaborative approach, which was a major issue between him and Mike. In a statement released by Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk, she explained how the team is thinking about collaboration.

"As the NFL continues to innovate and evolve, I believe the teams best positioned for sustained success will be those who empower an aligned and collaborative team across all football functions," the statement said. "Last year, we began a shift in our approach to football leadership and made several changes to our personnel to advance that plan."

"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," she continued. "I will never shy away from acknowledging that I have unapologetically high expectations for the football team and every aspect of the Titans organization."

Amy continued by explaining that she wants the team to regularly compete at the highest levels of the NFL.

"Our vision is not simply to produce more wins than losses, it is to regularly compete for championships. While this season was disappointing, I see early signs of progress taking shape," she said.

While Mike had had some success at doing exactly that this year, it seems that ownership lost faith in his ability to produce wins after two seasons under .500.

Now, as the Titans search for a new head coach, Mike will also be on the hunt for a new head coaching job. Although his record is just 54-45 as a head coach, he is well regarded in the NFL for his ability to rally players and for his smart play calls. He seems likely to land another head coaching job, the only question now is where that will be.