After news broke that the Tennessee Titans were firing head coach Mike Vrabel, owner Amy Adams Strunk released a statement upon the team making the decision official.
Adams Strunk thanked Vrabel for his time and work with the Titans but said she believes it was time for a “fresh approach and perspective” from a new coaching staff.
And, as she has done in the past, she stressed the importance of collaboration. Here’s her statement in full:
Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coach. As I told Coach Vrabel, this decision was as difficult as any I’ve made as Controlling Owner. I appreciate Mike’s contributions to the Tennessee Titans both on and off the field. Anyone who has ever met him knows how passionate and genuine he is, and he’s been a strong supporter of the Nashville community. We wish Mike, Jen, and the Vrabel family nothing but the best in the future.
As the NFL continues to innovate and evolve, I believe the teams best positioned for sustained success will be those who empower an aligned and collaborative team across all football functions. Last year, we began a shift in our approach to football leadership and made several changes to our personnel to advance that plan. As I continued to assess the state of our team, I arrived at the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the fresh approach and perspective of a new coaching staff.
I believe the Tennessee Titans can and will be a premier National Football League franchise. It’s what our fans deserve, and there will be hard decisions along the way. My decision today is not only a reflection of my disappointment in our past two seasons, but also my recognition that further changes are necessary to fully achieve our vision.
I will never shy away from acknowledging that I have unapologetically high expectations for the football team and every aspect of the Titans organization. Our vision is not simply to produce more wins than losses, it is to regularly compete for championships. While this season was disappointing, I see early signs of progress taking shape. Last year we added a promising young quarterback and several other talented players to our roster. With a coaching search, enviable cap space, and top-10 draft position, this offseason is as important as any in our history. I’m excited for the weeks and months ahead. We will meet the moment.
What’s clear here is that Adams Strunk wants to modernize the ways the Titans do business, which began with the hiring of general manager Ran Carthon, who has a more analytical and collaborative approach.
Based on the decision to fire Vrabel and what she’s saying here, it would appear Vrabel wasn’t going in the same direction. At the very least, she clearly felt he wasn’t the right coach to lead the team there.