The Tennessee Titans are entering the NFL’s coaching carousel. The team and head coach Mike Mularkey will mutually part ways two days after the team lost in the AFC Divisional Round to the New England Patriots, 35-14. Tennessee announced the news on its website, citing a disagreement over the future of the franchise.
In a statement, controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said that while she appreciated the work Mularkey was able to do during his tenure, “we did discuss extending his future with our team over the past week, but in those discussions about the direction of the team, it became evident that we saw different paths to achieve greater success.”
Mularkey took over as Tennessee’s interim head coach in 2015 after the team fired Ken Wisenhunt. He went 2-7 in nine games, which led to him getting the full-time job. From there, Mularkey went 9-7 in back-to-back years, made the playoffs this season, and was able to beat Kansas City in the Wild Card round before falling to New England.
The news of Mularkey’s departure is surprising, because on Sunday, word came down that the team offered him an extension to stick around, and the Titans’ brass straight up told Mularkey that he was going to be the guy going forward prior to the loss to New England.
Sources: The #Titans have offered coach Mike Mularkey an extension in the wake of their playoff run. He’s staying.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 15, 2018
#Titans GM Jon Robinson and CEO Steve Underwood told coach Mike Mularkey before the game and told him they were extended him and he was their guy. They said they'd get it done after the game. Now this.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 15, 2018
Just a week after the team said Mularkey would be the coach going forward, this happens. A massive surprise from Tennessee after Mularkey steadied that franchise. Respected man. https://t.co/s1ehzg4OMW
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 15, 2018
But one day after word of the extension, Mularkey is out of the job and the Titans have to make a decision about their future. And as it turns out, the team has its eyes set on one person: Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
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