For the first time since former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson was fired on Tuesday, head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the matter in his Wednesday press conference.
Vrabel began the presser with a statement on Robinson, who he thanked for giving him the opportunity to coach the Titans. Of course, Robinson hired Vrabel in 2018.
“I want to start by personally thanking Jon Robinson and his family,” Vrabel said. “For their care, effort and support that they’ve shown the team and our fans for the past seven years. I want to thank him for giving me the opportunity to lead this football team on the field, to coach it each and every day.
“And with that, obviously change is never easy but we realize that we all have a job to do. That job is evaluated each and every day. I told the team this, I met with all the staff — we have a personal relationship with Jon, everybody here in some capacity, and so our personal feelings aren’t what’s important. What’s important is that we respect and understand the decision, and that we move forward aligned, and do everything that we can to prepare our players and be great for them as we go out against the Jaguars at home.”
One of the reports that have come out in the wake of Robinson’s firing stated that Vrabel is now expected to have “significant power” over personnel decisions.
When asked about that, Vrabel said the process isn’t changing and that both he and vice president of player personnel and interim general manager, Ryan Cowden, will work together, but Amy Adams Strunk has the final say.
“Ryan Cowden and I will continue to communicate in that process as we get down the stretch of trying to figure out the active roster, players that are looking to return from injury,” Vrabel said. “That process isn’t going to change.”
#Titans‘ Vrabel: Asked who has final say now on team decisions — Vrabel or interim GM Ryan Cowden — he says it would be Amy Adams Strunk.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) December 7, 2022
If there’s a disagreement on personnel, Vrabel says he thinks they would come to a “collaborative agreement.” Doesn’t think that’s going to come up in December.
— Teresa Walker (@TeresaMWalker) December 7, 2022
Vrabel said he has since been in touch with Robinson after the move and the two had a phone conversation on Tuesday night. He also said they were on the same page with their approach, something that has been in question.
Mike Vrabel said that he and Jon Robinson were aligned in their approach. Vrabel said he spoke to Robinson last night. Thanked him for the opportunity. Also asked if there was anything Robinson wanted him to relay to the players. #Titans
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 7, 2022
Of course, one of the biggest topics has been Robinson’s trade of A.J. Brown, whose dominant performance against the Titans in Week 13 appeared to be the final straw.
Here’s what Vrabel had to say about that, including his note that there were indeed conversations between Robinson and ownership prior to the Brown trade.
“Here’s what I feel, to look back and second-guess, we made a decision we felt like was in the best interest of the football team,” Vrabel said. “A.J.’s in Philadelphia.”
#Titans Mike Vrabel said he can’t speak to how the process went with Amy Adams Strunk being aware of the A. J. Brown trade. “Those convos happened between Jon Robinson and the ownership group and however way it was going to go.”
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) December 7, 2022
Another report stated that Vrabel didn’t lobby for Robinson’s firing, and he backed that up by saying he wasn’t included in the decision and he was only informed of it after it happened. He also said he supports
#Titans HC Mike Vrabel: I was informed of the decision on Jon Robinson. It wasn’t one that included me. It was a decision that was made, and I was informed of the decision.
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 7, 2022
One person missing from Wednesday’s presser was the person responsible for this move, which Adams Strunk herself. It’ll be interesting to see if the Titans owner meets with the media in the wake of making such a huge decision.