Mike Vrabel fired: 4 Titans replacements to jumpstart new era in Tennessee

1. Titans can hire Cowboys DC Dan Quinn

If the Titans opt to go the defensive route again, few candidates better than Dan Quinn exist. Currently the architect of the Dallas Cowboys' voracious defense, Quinn was the Atlanta Falcons' head coach from 2015-20. That included their 2016 Super Bowl appearance. Quinn also worked alongside Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks' notorious Legion of Boom in the years prior to his arrival in ATL.

His Falcons tenure went south, quickly, after the Super Bowl run, but Quinn is connected to some of the best defenses of the last decade. The Falcons' success was often and understandably credited to Kyle Shanahan, but Quinn had the Falcons' defense operating at a level the team has struggled to replicate since his departure. He still gets credit for leading the Matt Ryan Falcons to the doorstep of greatness.

Since leaving Atlanta, Quinn has found tons of success in Dallas. He is shepherding the potential DPOY in Micah Parsons. Dallas is top-five in yards allowed (299.7) and top-15 in takeaways (26). Few defenses defended the pass better than the Cowboys in 2023. The Titans struggled mightily in that department.

Replacing one experienced defensive coordinator with another defies logic on some level, but it would appear Vrabel's tenure in Tennessee got stale. It's clear ownership is hungry for a change. Maybe the players are too. That doesn't necessarily require a complete shift in philosophies. If the Titans still want to build their reputation on defense, Quinn is arguably their best bet.