The Tennessee Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman is out after head coach Mike Vrabel fired him on Monday following the team’s Week 13 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Assistant special teams coach Tom Quinn will take over the position for the remainder of the season.

“Titans ST coordinator Craig Aukerman has been relieved of his duties, per HC Mike Vrabel,” TennesseeTitans.com reporter Jim Wyatt announced on Monday.

The Titans' special teams were a huge reason — and really the reason — Tennessee picked up the L in Week 13 to the AFC South-rival Colts to drop to 4-8 on the season. The disastrous day featured back-to-back blocked punts, one of which the Colts returned for a touchdown, and which also led to punter (and more importantly, holder!) Ryan Stonehouse going out with a season-ending knee injury.

Kicker Nick Folk filled in admirably at punter but also missed a crucial extra point with backup quarterback Ryan Tannehill as the holder that made the difference between a Titans win in regulation and an overtime loss.

The Titans technically did have one good special teams play when safety Amani Hooker intercepted a Gardner Mishew 2-point conversion attempt and returned it for two points the other way. However, that is more on the defense than the Titans’ special teams coordinator.

The Titans are (almost) officially out of contention 

Will Levis and Mike Vrabel

The Titans' Week 13 loss to the Colts drops the team to last place in the AFC South, five games behind the Jacksonville Jaguars and three games behind the Colts and Texans, who are battling for the three AFC Wild Card spots.

Without Craig Aukerman, the Titans take on the red-hot Miami Dolphins in Week 14 and opened as a monstrous +13.5 underdogs on Monday Night Football. Depending on how the cards fall next weekend, that loss could mathematically eliminate Mike Vrabel and the Titans from the 2023 NFL playoffs.