Why the Tennessee Titans will prove they’re not a fluke
By Dustin Baker
In just two seasons, Mike Vrabel has shown ample promise
In early 2018, Tennessee fired head coach Mike Malarkey after the team’s first playoff win in 14 years. It was an enigmatic move by the Titans brass.
So far, it has been the right move. Vrabel took power and has led the Titans to consecutive winning campaigns, albeit nine-win efforts. Vrabel inherited the once-auspicious Marcus Mariota at quarterback and rolled with him for about a season-and-a-half. Mariota did not last and has since joined the Las Vegas Raiders in a reserve capacity behind Derek Carr on the team’s depth chart.
Vrabel decided to switch to Ryan Tannehill in Week 7 last year, and the rest is history. The Titans, a 2-4 ballclub entering that matchup, underwent a favorable mutation with Tannehill at the helm and eventually reached the AFC Championship. This caterpillar-to-butterfly fulfillment of the season does not get enough recognition.
Think of it this way: With quarterbacks not named Ryan Tannehill, Mike Vrabel is the beholder of an 11-11 (.500) record including playoffs. When Tannehill has been under center, Vrabel and the Titans are 9-4 (.692).
Most importantly, Vrabel has fostered two years of above-average football and a sudden sprint to a conference championship in his first two seasons as a head coach. The future is bright.