AFC South 2023 Head Coach Power Rankings: Where Jacksonville Jaguars stand?

No. 2 AFC South HC Power Ranking – Tennessee Titans, Mike Vrabel

Mike Vrabel showed he wasn’t afraid to make changes when he became the head coach of the Tennessee Titans in 2018. Derrick Henry was part of a backfield committee in his first two seasons but he became the focal point of the offense once Vrabel took over. In retrospect, it’s kind of puzzling that Mike Mularkey (Vrabrel’s predecessor) didn’t recognize Henry’s talent.

Similarly, Vrabel pulled the plug on Marcus Mariota, the second overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. The Titans gave the former Oregon Duck every single chance they could to show he could be a franchise quarterback but failed every time. Vrabel knew he had seen enough of Mariota and installed Ryan Tannehill as the starting quarterback.

Tannehill went on to have a career revival in Tennessee and even sign a four-year contract extension worth $118 in 2020. However, he hasn’t been particularly great and his play, along with injuries, was a reason the Titans regressed last season.

After a 0-2 start last season, Tennessee turned the corner and went on to win seven of their next eight games. However, they lost six in a row to end the season, and Vrabel deserves plenty of blame for not keeping his team focused.

The Titans’ ownership showed their trust in Vrabel when they fired general manager Jon Robinson last year. However, they won’t likely accept a second losing season in a row, so Vrabel will be under pressure to deliver. Maybe that’s why Tennessee is reportedly interested in pursuing Derek Carr, who is a tad younger than Tannehill and would be an upgrade at quarterback, in the offseason.