Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Mike Moraitis

Titans’ Mike Vrabel addresses Jon Robinson firing, what’s next

For the first time since former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson was fired on Tuesday, head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the matter in his Wednesday press conference.

Vrabel began the presser with a statement on Robinson, who he thanked for giving him the opportunity to coach the Titans. Of course, Robinson hired Vrabel in 2018.

Buy Titans Tickets

“I want to start by personally thanking Jon Robinson and his family,” Vrabel said. “For their care, effort and support that they’ve shown the team and our fans for the past seven years. I want to thank him for giving me the opportunity to lead this football team on the field, to coach it each and every day.

“And with that, obviously change is never easy but we realize that we all have a job to do. That job is evaluated each and every day. I told the team this, I met with all the staff — we have a personal relationship with Jon, everybody here in some capacity, and so our personal feelings aren’t what’s important. What’s important is that we respect and understand the decision, and that we move forward aligned, and do everything that we can to prepare our players and be great for them as we go out against the Jaguars at home.”

One of the reports that have come out in the wake of Robinson’s firing stated that Vrabel is now expected to have “significant power” over personnel decisions.

When asked about that, Vrabel said the process isn’t changing and that both he and vice president of player personnel and interim general manager, Ryan Cowden, will work together, but Amy Adams Strunk has the final say.

“Ryan Cowden and I will continue to communicate in that process as we get down the stretch of trying to figure out the active roster, players that are looking to return from injury,” Vrabel said. “That process isn’t going to change.”

Vrabel said he has since been in touch with Robinson after the move and the two had a phone conversation on Tuesday night. He also said they were on the same page with their approach, something that has been in question.

Of course, one of the biggest topics has been Robinson’s trade of A.J. Brown, whose dominant performance against the Titans in Week 13 appeared to be the final straw.

Here’s what Vrabel had to say about that, including his note that there were indeed conversations between Robinson and ownership prior to the Brown trade.

“Here’s what I feel, to look back and second-guess, we made a decision we felt like was in the best interest of the football team,” Vrabel said. “A.J.’s in Philadelphia.”

Another report stated that Vrabel didn’t lobby for Robinson’s firing, and he backed that up by saying he wasn’t included in the decision and he was only informed of it after it happened. He also said he supports

One person missing from Wednesday’s presser was the person responsible for this move, which Adams Strunk herself. It’ll be interesting to see if the Titans owner meets with the media in the wake of making such a huge decision.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.