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Whether it came as a surprise or not, Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams decided to fire head coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday, one day after the dreaded Black Monday, which is typically when coaches are let go.
Vrabel is out of Nashville after six seasons, where he posted a 54-45 record and was the 2021 AP Coach of the Year. Under Vrabel, the Titans won the AFC South twice and made the playoffs three times, going 2-3, getting to the AFC title game once. However, the Titans have been absent from the postseason the past two seasons after going 7-10 and 6-11.
Though the last two seasons haven't gone as planned in Nashville, it's still a bit surprising that what has become such a revered coach in the league—and one that will likely be sought after by other teams as their next head coach—was fired suddenly. There have been coaches fired for less (just ask the last couple of Carolina Panthers coaches), but it was clear that Vrabel had a vision for his team, which, according to SI's Albert Breer, may have been the problem, where Vrabel and owner Adams disagreed on the structure of the team.
So, Adams and first-year GM Ran Carthon are now off to make their next head coaching hire in replacement of Vrabel. But who will be willing to take on what could be one of the more challenging jobs in the NFL, given its impulsive ownership?
Ben Johnson, OC – Detroit Lions
The man at the top of everyone's head coaching list is Johnson. After passing on the opportunity last season, rumors are that he would be more than willing to take a job this season. The question is, which out of the six now available will he potentially take? Remember that Johnson, 37, has just two years of offensive coordinator experience. Is Adams and Carthon wanting someone with more experience? No one quite knows what this duo wants, honestly.
Mike Macdonald, DC – Baltimore Ravens
Macdonald is another hot name out there to fill head coaching vacancies. The Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator has the team first in points and yards per play allowed. Macdonald has had success at both the college and pro levels, with Michigan and with Baltimore, coaching under both Harbaugh brothers. Like Johnson, however, he also just has two years of coordinator experience.
Dan Quinn, DC – Dallas Cowboys
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Quinn's work with the Cowboys has been tremendous since joining them as their defensive coordinator back in 2021. His time with the Atlanta Falcons as head coach will unfortunately be remembered for having the worst loss in Super Bowl history. But while in Atlanta, Quinn had a record just over .500 (43-42). Maybe Quinn has learned something in his three years back as a coordinator.
Bobby Slowik, OC – Houston Texans
Slowik has impressed the league with his Texans offense that helped them win the AFC South and get back to the playoffs, albeit with a rookie quarterback. Slowik is just 36 and is only in his first season as an offensive coordinator after spending the last six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers mostly as a passing game coordinator. However, Carthon, who came from the 49ers, has immediate connections with Slowik, according to Titans beat writer Terry McCormick.
Arthur Smith, former Atlanta Falcons head coach
This would probably be a stretch, but the Titans organization is familiar with Smith, who was a former offensive coordinator for them back in 2019-2020 under Vrabel. That was when the Titans were putting up big offensive numbers and making the playoffs. But his recent stint with the Falcons, where he was fired just after midnight on Black Monday, didn't go so great. He was said to have lost the team, and his offense felt outdated and could never quite produce like in those years where the Titans made the playoffs. He finished with a 21-30 record in Atlanta.
