In a move that surprised many, the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Mike Vrabel on Tuesday.
Rather than holding a traditional press conference, Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk opted to participate in an in-house interview with the franchise’s vice president of broadcasting and radio play-by-play announcer, Mike Keith.
Throughout the nearly five-minute interview, Adams Strunk answered questions regarding the firing of Vrabel, including what went into the decision, the timeline, whether the Titans considered trading Vrabel, and questions regarding the upcoming coaching search. You can watch the entirety of the interview below.
Interview with Amy Adams Strunk pic.twitter.com/w9CkHBN1Fb
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) January 9, 2024
It’s certainly curious to see Adams Strunk opt for an interview with a team employee over a traditional press conference, especially after making a polarizing decision like firing Vrabel. While Keith’s questions certainly included most of the ground that likely would have been covered in such a press conference, giving access to the local press would have allowed for more follow-ups and other pertinent questions to be asked.
After firing their respective head coaches following the conclusion of the regular season, both the owners of the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders held press conferences on Monday. In contrast, the owners of the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers held midseason press conferences after firing their head coaches. As Panthers owner David Tepper’s midseason press conference showed, having a press conference doesn’t always mean you’re truly facing the fire. But it’s certainly a better look than only taking questions from your team’s in-house media.
It’s unclear whether Adams Strunk has plans to host her own press conference with reporters. However, outside of Jerry Jones, it’s hard to find an NFL owner who does more than the bare minimum regarding media availability. In any event, Titans fans deserve transparency — especially with Nashville on the hook for at least $1.26 billion for the franchise’s new stadium.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.