The NFL has already seen two head coaching changes during the season. With four weeks left, temperatures underneath some seats are cranking up.
One of those seats is occupied in Nashville by Mike Vrabel.
Could the Tennessee Titans Fire Mike Vrabel Next?
Vrabel has had his name attached as a possible 2023 firing.
Those calls were made by the Tennessee faithful nearly a month ago.
Vrabel and the Titans upset their fans with a lowly 34-14 performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 19. That type of performance dropped Tennessee to 3-7, then prompted some vocal fans to air their grievances.
“Can we fire Mike Vrabel now?” one fan asked on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“I think it’s time for the Titans to fire Mike Vrabel,” another fan posted.
One more Tennesse fan requested the Titans trade him to the New England Patriots, where he won three Super Bowls.
Now, ahead of the Monday Night Football road game against the 9-3 Miami Dolphins, the calls continue to grow for the now 4-8 Vrabel-led Titans.
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“I hope Mike Vrabel gets fired after this game,” one fan shared on X.
Another fan added on social media, “I’ll be happy when Mike Vrabel is no longer the coach of the Titans.”
How Bad Has It Gotten for Vrabel in Nashville?
Vrabel rose to success early in his head coaching career. However, it’s gone downhill almost as quickly.
The former linebacker and part-time tight end for the early Super Bowl-winning Patriots teams of the 2000s began by posting two straight 9-7 seasons. One of those campaigns, though, saw the Titans roll to the AFC title game in the 2019 season — the one that rode the legs and power of running back Derrick Henry.
Eventually, they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs before watching them capture the Super Bowl title. Still, optimism sprouted for the future of Tennessee football.
Vrabel’s teams would ascend from there during the regular season. His 2020 team finished 11-5. Then, his 2021 unit produced the conference’s best record at 12-5. However, the latter team got knocked off by the eventual AFC champs — the Cincinnati Bengals — in the Divisional Round.
Since then, things have unraveled for Vrabel and the Titans.
Last year’s team ended up 7-10 and ended their season on a seven-game losing streak. Tennessee even had an opportunity to clinch the AFC South but lost to the Jaguars in the season finale.
MORE: PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor
Vrabel and the Titans then dealt with rumblings of a roster blow-up. That included possibly dealing away their franchise running back. Even quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who was the QB during the Titans’ AFC title game run, faces a questionable future. The team had already dealt away star wide receiver A.J. Brown — who went on to play in the Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, Vrabel and the Titans are a combined 12-18 since clinching the AFC’s top seed in the 2021 season. Subsequently, the growing unrest among the Titans fan base is palpable.
How Does Vrabel Feel About Hearing the Firing Chatter?
Vrabel was asked about his tension-building future back on Nov. 19 and if he has his own concerns about his job status.
“I don’t try to concern myself with that,” Vrabel said to reporters. “I’ll let you guys fire me each week, or not fire me — I apologize, I appreciate your question, I do. I will always understand that.”
His final message was a simple one.
“We have to improve, and we have to win; those are things we have to do.”
Now, he and the Titans are a loss away from being guaranteed their second straight sub-.500 season. Tennessee’s performance has only drawn more ire from its fans.
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