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Tennessee Titans Fire GM Jon Robinson: What Happened?

The Tennessee Titans fired general manager Jon Robinson and named Ryan Cowden interim general manager. The dismissal was surprising.

The firing of Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson sent shockwaves around the NFL.

"I'm very surprised," a league source said. "J-Rob is good people. He was doing a good job. They're winning."

Indeed, the Titans are 7-5 and in first place in the AFC South division.

The decision runs deeper though than a win-loss record.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel is expected to emerge with significant juice in personnel decisions, according to league sources. 

Vrabel was highly upset about trading wide receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles after contract discussions broke down with Robinson and the front office.

Ryan Cowden has been named the interim general manager.

There will be a search for a new GM, though, after the season.

Whomever they name, Vrabel is expected to have a lot of power going forward, according to sources.

The Titans never finished lower than 9-7 under Robinson after he was hired in 2016 and his contract and Vrabel's were extended in February.

There were some misses, including the Julio Jones trade and drafting troubled offensive lineman Isaiah Wilson in the first round, on Robinson's watch.

“This progress includes the core of our business, the football team itself, which is regularly evaluated both by results (wins and losses) and team construction/roster building,” Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement. “I am proud of what we have accomplished in my eight seasons of ownership, but I believe there is more to be done and higher aspirations to be met.”


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