Titans' Ryan Tannehill Surprised by Mike Vrabel Firing

Ryan Tannehill spoke about the Tennessee Titans firing coach Mike Vrabel.

Nov 27, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel (left) and quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) talk before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports / Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

The Tennessee Titans are going in a completely different direction this season choosing not to retain quarterback Ryan Tannehill nor coach Mike Vrabel, who had both been with the organization for years.

Vrabel arrived in Nashville in 2018 and spent six seasons at the helm going 54-45 during his tenure. His six years in Tennessee included three playoff appearances including a trip to the AFC Championship Game in just his second season with the team. However, he had also gone under .500 and missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and the Titans felt they needed to go in a different direction after a 6-11 campaign.

The quarterback playing throughout the majority of Vrabel's time in Tennessee was Ryan Tannehill, who joined the team in 2019, the second season for the aforementioned coach. Tannehill originally was set to come in and be Marcus Mariota's backup, but he entered the starting lineup in the middle of the 2019 season and never relinquished his starting spot.

The Tannehill-Vrabel pairing won the Titans many games together, which explains why the quarterback was surprised to see his coach fired back in January.

"I don't know. I enjoyed playing for Vrabel. He did a lot of great things. He was definitely one of the best if not the best head coach I played for as far as how we prepared as a team and how he educated the team on a weekly basis. Situationally, I always felt like we were really good and game management I felt like we were really good. That's where the head coach comes in. I don't know what their reasons were for letting him go," Tannehill told NFL insider Dianna Russini on the "Scoop City" podcast.

Firing Vrabel was a tough decision for Tennessee because him staying would also be justified. He had a winning record through six seasons and was well-liked throughout the organization. However, the Titans felt it was time to go in a different direction.

With Brian Callahan now taking over, the Titans have a new look on offense and a fresh culture in the building. Perhaps that's what the team needs to get over the hump and back into relevancy in the AFC South.

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