Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction

When a former NFL head coach with ties to the Tennessee Titans speaks about the team’s current direction, their perspective carries weight—rooted in firsthand experience of the franchise’s culture, roster challenges, and organizational priorities. For this analysis, we turned to Mike Mularkey, who served as the Titans’ head coach from 2015 to 2017 and led the team to a playoff appearance in 2017. With over a decade of NFL coaching experience, Mularkey offers a unique blend of insider knowledge and objective observation, weighing in on the Titans’ rebuild, trade decisions, and long-term path to competitiveness. His insights don’t just reflect personal opinion; they’re shaped by understanding what works (and what doesn’t) in Nashville, from navigating the AFC South to balancing fan expectations with roster reality. Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction distills Mularkey’s take on the key choices facing the Titans—and why some paths are more likely to lead to success than others.

Mularkey’s first key insight centers on the Titans’ rebuild strategy, which he argues needs to be “patient but purposeful” rather than a rushed overhaul. “The worst mistake a franchise can make is trying to be competitive too soon while neglecting long-term needs,” Mularkey said in a recent interview. “I see the Titans in that dangerous middle ground right now—holding onto veterans like Derrick Henry to stay relevant, but not investing enough in the quarterback and offensive line positions that will define their future.” He points to his own tenure as a cautionary example: “In 2017, we made the playoffs with Marcus Mariota, but we didn’t address the offensive line issues that were holding him back. By 2018, it caught up to us, and the team took a step back.” Mularkey believes the Titans should embrace a targeted rebuild: trade Henry and Jeffery Simmons for draft picks, use those picks to select a franchise quarterback and upgrade the offensive line, and let young players like Treylon Burks develop with consistent reps. “It will mean a tough year or two, but it’s the only way to break the cycle of mediocrity,” he added. Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction emphasizes that Mularkey’s view is clear: short-term wins aren’t worth sacrificing the franchise’s long-term viability.

On the topic of the Titans’ quarterback situation—easily the team’s biggest long-term need—Mularkey pulls no punches, arguing that the front office has “kicked the can down the road for too long.” “Since Steve McNair, the Titans have never committed to a quarterback the way they need to,” he said. “Ryan Tannehill had a good run, but he’s past his prime, and Malik Willis hasn’t shown he can be a starter. The longer they wait to draft a young quarterback and let him learn, the further behind they’ll fall in the AFC South.” Mularkey suggests the Titans should target a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft, even if it means trading up to get their guy. “You can’t build a winning team in the NFL without a franchise quarterback,” he explained. “Look at what Lamar Jackson did for Baltimore, or Joe Burrow for Cincinnati—they’re the engines that make everything else work. The Titans need to find that guy, even if it costs them a few draft picks.” He also advises against signing a veteran quarterback in free agency, warning that it would only delay the inevitable: “Veteran stopgaps might win you a few games, but they won’t help you build a championship-caliber team. The Titans need to commit to youth at the position.” Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction highlights that Mularkey sees the quarterback position as the make-or-break factor for the Titans’ rebuild.

Mularkey also offers a critical take on how the Tennessee Titans should handle their star defensive assets—specifically Jeffery Simmons, whom the front office has debated trading. “Simmons is a special player—one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league—but the Titans have to be realistic about their situation,” Mularkey said. “If they’re not going to be competitive for a Super Bowl in the next two years, holding onto Simmons doesn’t make sense. He’s entering his prime, and he deserves a chance to play for a winner—while the Titans deserve compensation for a player they might lose in free agency anyway.” Mularkey suggests a “sign-and-trade” scenario, where the Titans extend Simmons to a short-term, high-value contract and then trade him to a contender for a first-round draft pick. “This way, the Titans get a premium pick to help their rebuild, and Simmons gets paid and gets a shot at a title,” he explained. “It’s a win-win, even if it’s tough for fans to accept.” For the Tennessee Titans, Mularkey warns that keeping Simmons without a clear path to contention would be a mistake: “You don’t want to be the team that lets a star player walk for nothing, or holds onto him until his value drops. The front office needs to be decisive here.” Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction shows that Mularkey’s advice on Simmons reflects a focus on maximizing assets—even when it means tough emotional choices.

When it comes to the Tennessee Titans’ offensive line—a persistent weakness that has plagued the team for years—Mularkey stresses that it’s “non-negotiable” to fix this unit in the upcoming offseason. “I can’t overstate how important the offensive line is,” he said. “If you don’t have guys up front who can protect the quarterback and open holes for the running back, nothing else on offense works. During my tenure, we struggled with the same issue, and it cost us games we should have won.” Mularkey suggests the Titans use both the draft and free agency to upgrade the line, targeting at least two starting-caliber players—preferably a left tackle and a center. “You can’t build an offensive line overnight, but you can make significant progress in one offseason,” he added. “Look for young linemen in the draft who have the physical tools to develop, and sign a veteran guard or tackle in free agency to provide leadership.” He also advises the Titans to prioritize continuity in their offensive line coaching staff, noting that frequent changes in scheme and coaching hinder player development. “The offensive line needs consistency—same coaches, same scheme—to gel as a unit,” he said. For the Tennessee Titans, Mularkey’s message is clear: ignoring the offensive line any longer will derail even the best-laid rebuild plans. Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction underscores that Mularkey views the offensive line as the foundation of a successful offense—and thus a critical piece of the Titans’ future.

Finally, Mularkey weighs in on the Tennessee Titans’ approach to fan expectations, which he argues the front office has “mismanaged” in recent years. “Titans fans are loyal, but they’re also realistic—they understand that rebuilds take time, but they need to see a clear plan,” he said. “The problem right now is that the front office hasn’t communicated that plan. They’re holding onto Henry to keep fans happy, but they’re not being honest about the fact that the team isn’t ready to compete for a Super Bowl.” Mularkey suggests the front office be more transparent with fans, outlining their rebuild timeline, draft priorities, and key milestones. “If you tell fans, ‘We’re going to trade Henry for a draft pick, use that pick to select a quarterback, and build around young players for the next two years,’ most of them will get on board—because they’ll see a path forward,” he explained. “But if you keep pretending you’re a playoff team when you’re not, you’ll lose their trust.” He also emphasizes the importance of developing a winning culture, even during a rebuild: “Winning doesn’t just mean making the playoffs—it means playing hard every week, developing young players, and building a locker room that’s focused on improvement. That’s how you keep fans engaged, even during tough seasons.” For the Tennessee Titans, Mularkey’s final insight is a call to balance honesty with ambition—a reminder that rebuilds aren’t just about roster moves, but about maintaining a connection with the fan base that will support the team through the tough times. Former Coach's Insights on the Tennessee Titans Direction concludes that Mularkey’s perspective offers a roadmap for the Titans: embrace a patient, purposeful rebuild, prioritize quarterback and offensive line, maximize asset value, and communicate openly with fans. It’s a challenging path, but one that he believes is the only way for the Titans to return to sustained competitiveness in the AFC South.