Texans Daily

LOOK: Titans Coach Mike Vrabel Takes Stab At Texans With Bum Phillips Themed Outfit

The Tennessee Titans are taking their Oilers throwback plans a little bit too far on Sunday.

Matt Galatzan

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The Tennessee Titans are set to wear Houston Oilers throwback uniforms for their matchup with the Texans on Sunday in Nashville - a move that was already a slap in the face to fans of Houston sports everywhere. 

The Titans, of course, do own the rights to that logo, however, thanks to beginning their franchise as the Houston Oilers in the American Football League in 1960, before moving to the NFL in 1970.

The Oilers then moved to Nashville in 1997, where they kept their name for two seasons before re-branding as the Titans in 1999.

What they do not own the rights to, however, is Bum Phillips, who Titans coach Mike Vrabel has decided to impersonate before the game in conjunction with his team wearing their Oilers throwback uniforms. 

Phillips, of course, is a Houston sports legend thanks to his six years spent as the head coach of the Oilers, where he took his team to back-to-back AFC championship games.

After a brief period without an NFL franchise, The Houston Texans came to the NFL in 2002, with many fans clamoring for the franchise to re-take the Oilers as their mascot. Due to the Adams family owning the rights to that name, however, it was not possible.

The Titans say they are wearing the Oilers uniforms to coincide with Billy "White Shoes" Johnson being inducted into the team's Ring of Honor, which pays tribute to legends who have played for the franchise in Tennessee and/or Houston. 

Titans Decision to Wear Oilers Throwbacks vs. Texans a Slap in the Face?

But the game isn't taking place in Houston and the ceremony will not be televised.

Now, the Titans will ostensibly be flaunting that logo, in the face of Texans fans everywhere on Sunday afternoon.

And it also appears as though Mike Vrabel will be flaunting things in his own way ahead of their critical Sunday matchup.

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Matt Galatzan
MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan the Editor-In-Chief of TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com