The two most asked questions at Mike Vrabel’s news conference the day after Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk’s surprise firing of general manager Jon Robinson were: Why now, and did Vrabel play a role in the decision?
Vrabel then downplayed, brushed aside or flat-out denied the timing of the firing or insinuations of his involvement in the decision to relieve Robinson of his duties.
“I know that Amy informed me of the decision, and I can’t speak to the timing of it,” Vrabel said. “I can’t speak to the decision of it. So I’m sorry I can’t help you.
“… I was informed of the decision,” Vrabel added later in the news conference. “This wasn’t a decision that included me. It was a decision that was made, and I was informed of that decision.”
Those were fair questions to ask, considering that the firing came on the heels of the Titans’ 35-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, who won, in part, thanks to former wide receiver A.J. Brown’s 119 yards and two touchdowns. Tennessee traded Brown to Philadelphia during the 2022 draft, despite Vrabel’s desire to keep Brown, and Vrabel appeared upset when the trade was announced.
And it’s not as though the Titans were toiling at the bottom of the AFC South. Tennessee is atop the division for the third consecutive season and on track to make the playoffs for the fourth time since Robinson was hired in 2016. Robinson also signed a contract extension in February, months before he made the infamous Brown trade in April.
When the Titans announced Wednesday that Robinson would be fired, Strunk said in a statement that she believed “there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met” in Tennessee. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported later that day that ownership wasn’t happy with the direction of the roster under Robinson.
It was only natural, then, for Vrabel to be asked if he, as head coach, was frustrated with the roster – either in its construction or his role in that side of the business.
Vrabel refused to admit any misgivings about decisions made by Robinson during their time together and said that he has been made “aware of almost everything” on the personnel side and that Robinson “included the coaching staff in the evaluation process.” He consistently added that he and Robinson had a great relationship during their time together and said the two spoke Tuesday night.
We might never know why or how this decision went down. Maybe it was something the ownership group came to on its own midway through another successful season, independent of Vrabel (who also denied he played any role in the “evaluation” of Robinson’s job). Or, perhaps, the loss to the Eagles almost literally by the hands of the team’s former wideout was the final straw in Robinson’s tenure in Tennessee.
Vrabel seems content with letting the past stay there while he and the team move forward.
“Change is never easy,” Vrabel said. “I’m focused on where we’re at right now. I think there are surprises that happen each and every day. I respect the decision that Amy and the ownership group made. I appreciate their support as we move forward to play the Jaguars.”