Going through with one of the most surprising in-season transactions in recent years, the Titans fired Jon Robinson just less than 10 months after announcing he and Mike Vrabel had signed extensions. Robinson’s contract runs through the 2027 draft, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com notes (on Twitter).
While it is fair to wonder if this about-face stemmed from a sudden development, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter noted during an NFL Live appearance that is not believed to be the case. Owner Amy Adams Strunk has become unhappy about the state of Tennessee’s roster, Pelissero adds, with Schefter adding she was not pleased in being left out of the loop on certain matters.
This firing coming so soon after an extension invites speculation about the role the A.J. Brown trade played. The Titans had begun conversations with Brown about an extension, and Robinson said the team “want[ed] to keep A.J. a Titan” in April. By draft night, however, the winds shifted and the Titans sent Brown to the Eagles for a package headlined by the No. 18 overall pick. Brown said the Titans did not approach his asking price, failing to offer $20MM per year, and mentioned the team would not have needed to hit the Eagles’ eventual price ($25MM AAV, receiver-record $56MM fully guaranteed) to finalize an extension.
Brown shredded his former team in an eight-reception, 119-yard, two-touchdown performance Sunday, and the Titans have not been able to replicate what the former second-round pick had offered them. Robert Woods has produced close to his Rams-era numbers since being acquired for a sixth-round pick, and while Treylon Burks has shown flashes, the first-rounder has missed extensive time. The Commanders, Seahawks and 49ers did not follow the Titans’ lead; each team extended their respective No. 1 receivers (Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, Deebo Samuel) rather than punt on their contract years. Brown’s Eagles contract ended up being the template each of those NFC squads used to wrap up their respective receiver extensions.
Robinson also drafted the likes of Derrick Henry, Kevin Byard, Harold Landry and Jeffery Simmons, and he landed Ryan Tannehill for fourth- and seventh-round picks. That trade gave the Titans an out on Marcus Mariota, and Tannehill’s return to health led to the Titans advancing to the AFC championship game for the first time since 2002. Robinson had never completed a losing season as Titans GM, despite the team going 3-13 the year before he arrived, and Tennessee is on track to secure a fourth straight playoff berth.
Then again, the Titans swung and missed on some first-round picks. Corey Davis did not become a No. 1-caliber wideout, despite being chosen fifth overall, and cornerback Caleb Farley has not earned a starting role upon returning from his rookie-year ACL tear. Robinson let both Davis and 2016 first-rounder Jack Conklin walk in free agency. The Conklin decision led to a revolving door at right tackle and preceded the team’s most infamous draft miss. The Titans’ 2020 first-round choice — tackle Isaiah Wilson — saw action on four plays as a rookie and never played again.
Still, this firing took many around the league by surprise, according to the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora and The Athletic’s Mike Jones (Twitter links). Robinson hire Vrabel is set to see his role expand, confirming Wednesday he and interim GM Ryan Cowden will collaborate on the team’s decision-making for the rest of the season.
Bud Adams-Bum Phillips the sequel?
bum bud is a drag.
So it’s job performance AND power struggle. If you’re not going to keep the top of the chain looped in when you’re making moves, your moves had better work out.
“Guys, it tastes great AND it’s less filling!”
Ooof, you there? Looks like that exit interview WAS on the heated side. Gulp!
When you have a female owner trying to run things and what’s best for the roster then it’s only a matter of time before the franchise implodes to mediocrity and losing seasons.
Sexist much?
Aside from the obviously stupid, bigoted misogyny, she’s been owner a while. She’s the one who gave Robinson the job and she operates a team that’s leading the division after winning it the last two years.
Technically speaking there’s a difference between owning and operating. Robinson was far more involved in the operation side than Adams. There’s no logic in fixing something that isn’t broken but money, not brains, is the only qualification needed to be an NFL owner.
No, I used the word I intended. Operating a team happens above the office of the GM. Burke Nihill, the team’s president and CEO, would be in charge of operations, and he answers to Adams, who picked him to promote into the role.
Yes, everyone ultimately answers to Adams. It looks like she is out to prove she can wreck the Titans just as effectively as Irsay is wrecking the Colts.
Give me a break.
Pointing out her gender seems unnecessary but Strunk does not exactly have a positive record of interventions to date as an owner. The power struggle between her and siblings wasn’t handled well, but in the last few years that the NFL has recognized her as the undisputed primary owner (indeed, their rules regarding the technicalities of having controlling owners can be traced back easily to Strunk and her siblings), Robinson has been running the team. I agree that Robinson struck out in some areas (he had a few bad draft misses, such as Isiah Wilson), but the team has won its division after being awful for some years running. I do not think that this was a prudent move at this time.
Leaving Amy Adams Strunk out of the loop has netted the Titans several consecutive winning seasons, two division titles, and so far a few playoff berths. The Titans had numerous losing seasons before Robinson got there, and reversed their fortunes immediately after his arrival. At the time, Strunk was preoccupied with her ownership battle. If she is offended at being left out of the loop, and that is the reason for her firing of Robinson, she really has big shoes to fill in her hiring of his successor.l, because he did a pretty good job record-wise despite a few misses.
Oooof loves to rebut every opinion offered in the forum but he is way out of his league if he starts challenging AK185.
@Ak185
Totally agree. And if this was about a power struggle, I question why the firing transpired mid season. I have a strong feeling there was a reactionary component to this move as well, following the loss to Philadelphia