The Tennessee Titans will be searching for a new coach.
Mike Mularkey and the Titans agreed Monday to mutually part ways, two days after the Titans were blown out 35-14 by the New England Patriots in the second round of the playoffs.
Mularkey coached the Titans for two and half seasons, leading them to a 36-53 record. After going 2-7 as the Titans’ interim coach in 2015, Mularkey was hired and went 9-7 in each of the following two seasons.
On Jan. 7, Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk put out a statement backing Mularkey amid speculation about his job, saying “Mike Mularkey is our head coach and will be our head coach moving forward.”
Mularkey helped the Titans to their first playoff win in 14 years with a 22-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 6.
But the coach had been heavily criticized for his handling of quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Titans ran a run-heavy conventional offense, while some felt Mariota was best suited for a spread offense, which he thrived with at Oregon.
Mariota threw 3,232 yards and just 13 touchdowns this season while tossing a career-high 15 interceptions.
Mularkey and the Titans discussed a contract extension last week, but Strunk said in a statement that “in those discussions about the direction of the team, it became evident that we saw different paths to achieve greater success.”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could be the front-runner for the Titans job.
So Josh McDaniels goes from being a favorite in Indianapolis….to being a favorite in Tennessee. McDaniels will be getting an HC job.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 15, 2018
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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