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It just doesn't make much sense. If you've been following the Titans' GM and head coaching search, you've probably seen that Mike Mularkey is very much in contention to land this job full time. Apparently Amy Adams Strunk and Steve Underwood love the guy, and his name kept coming up during potential GM candidates' interviews.
Candidates were apparently eliminated from the process due to not wanting to retain Mike Mularkey. If that's really the case, it's very possible Robinson could have agreed to at least entertain Mike Mularkey as his head coach.
Candidates eliminated from GM consideration informed #Titans they didn't want to keep Mike Mularkey as head coach. https://t.co/eMA7w8NcVR
— Jason Wolf (@JasonWolf) January 14, 2016
To be clear: No guarantee Mike Mularkey remains coach. But multiple GM candidates who didn't get the job told #Titans they didn't want him.
— Jason Wolf (@JasonWolf) January 14, 2016
Chris Ballard was one of those that reportedly said no to Mularkey.
Ballard was a strong candidate, but told that some things he wanted to do didn't fit with #Titans plans.
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) January 14, 2016
The consensus both nationally and locally seems to favor Mularkey as the next head man. This time, Mike Florio gets in on the speculation.
. @ProFootballTalk tells @WUZ1045 that it'd be a shock at this point if Mularkey were not the coach.
— Brent Dougherty (@brentdougherty) January 14, 2016
I understand the logic. All signs point to Mike Mularkey. General Manager candidates were turned down if they wouldn't entertain Mularkey, which means Robinson will likely be taking Mularkey's Friday interview very seriously.
What I can't figure out is why Amy Adams Strunk and Steve Underwood are going to battle for Mularkey. I get that he did everything the right way post-Whisenhunt, but at the end of the day he's a 18-39 head coach. You are what your record says you are. Nothing more, nothing less.
How on earth are you going to sell this hire to a fanbase that has been subjected to 27 losses in the past two seasons? Wouldn't you want a total new direction? How could you not?
Mularkey cleaned somethings up, particularly along the offensive line. He protected Marcus Mariota to the best of his ability. He wasn't dealt a great situation, but at the same time he certainly didn't do enough to earn the full time job.
Why would Jon Robinson hitch his first General Manager gig to Mike Mularkey? A guy that has flamed out in two different head coaching roles isn't exactly an ideal first hire. Sure -- everything points to Mike Mularkey right now, but it also points to Josh McDaniels too.
McDaniels and Robinson worked together during their time in New England and seems to be the leading outside candidate for the job. McDaniels is reportedly very interested in the opening, too.
John Clayton (@ClaytonESPN) just said on @1025TheGame that Patriots OC Josh McDaniels wants the Tennessee Titans HC job.
— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) January 6, 2016
The choice would be an easy one for me. I've been on McDaniels from the start. But it looks like Robinson will at least honor Underwood and Strunk's wishes and give Mularkey a chance. The process will begin tomorrow with Mularkey's interview. Stay tuned.