In almost seven seasons as the Tennessee Titans general manager, Jon Robinson never had a losing campaign. His Titans won two AFC South titles, three playoff games, made a surprise run to the 2019 AFC title game, and even captured the AFC’s No. 1 seed in 2021.
Yet, despite this on-field resume, the Titans gave their GM the axe on Tuesday. If the Titans were outright terrible or finished a disappointing season, the move wouldn’t have been that surprising. Given that Tennessee is the current leader of the AFC South, on track for a third straight division championship barring an outright collapse, firing Robinson midseason — who got a contract extension after 2021 — is a rather curious move.
Naturally, any time an executive like Robinson — who wasn’t faultless with creating Tennessee’s current flaws, to be clear — loses their job while their team was still in a playoff chase, speculation may run rampant. In this case, some fans thought Robinson was fired for trading superstar receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles (who happened to dunk on the Titans this past Sunday). The Titans were locked into negotiations for a potential contract extension with Brown last spring, but nothing productive was able to come out of those talks, eventually leading to his exit.
An old video of Titans’ head coach Mike Vrabel’s apparent immediate displeasure at the Brown trade during the 2022 NFL Draft fed into this theory about why Robinson lost his job:
Mike Vrabel won the power-struggle with Jon Robinson. This was his reaction to the A.J. Brown trade during the Draft.
Of course, it was also Robinson that drafted Brown in the 2nd round in the first place. Gave the Titans 4 cheap rookie years and then flipped him for a 1st. pic.twitter.com/mMUryPNlkC
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 6, 2022
Of course, the implication that Robinson was fired for trading a uniquely gifted playmaker that could’ve helped the NFL’s 29th-ranked passing offense in yardage isn’t noteworthy just because of the trade itself. It also lends to the idea that Vrabel held more power (probably true) than Robinson in the Titans’ facility. Not to mention that good portions of Titans’ draft classes left much to be desired (even though Vrabel almost certainly held a lot of influence there, too).
While entirely possible Robinson was fired for this egregious blunder with Brown, there may yet still be more to this story. This is especially so if the Titans were willing to part with him during the stretch run of another potential division championship campaign.
All that said: You don’t trade 25-year-old skill players like Brown if you can help it!
NFL fans were convinced the Titans fired Robinson for trading Brown
You think fumbling the A.J. Brown negotiations didn't matter for Jon Robinson and the #Titans .. ??
— Justin M (@JustinM_NFL) December 6, 2022
Might be more to the situation, but Mike Vrabel's reaction to the A.J. Brown trade back in April now looks like it might have been the beginning of the end for Jon Robinson. Brown burning them on Sunday probably didn't help pic.twitter.com/elIldFaZ69
— John Breech (@johnbreech) December 6, 2022
A.J. Brown's performance against the #Titans essentially got Jon Robinson fired.
Or was the final nail in the coffin.
— Jeff Kerr (@JeffKerrCBS) December 6, 2022
A.J. Brown lighting up the Titans just made them fire their general manager.
— Brenden Deeg (@BrendenDeeg_) December 6, 2022
The Titans got one look at A.J. Brown in an Eagles uniform and fired the GM who made the move. https://t.co/tzweMrXIRK
— Mike Maher (@mikeMaher) December 6, 2022
How much of this is because he traded away A.J. Brown, who just destroyed the Titans this past weekend? https://t.co/HUsAUyrxN4
— Joe Fortenbaugh (@JoeFortenbaugh) December 6, 2022
The #Titans are firing GM Jon Robinson. I have to assume the AJ Brown trade and his performance on Sunday was the last straw for ownership. Ownership chose Vrabel over Robinson.
Wow. This is massive.
— Caroline Fenton (@carolinefenton1) December 6, 2022
Seeing AJ Brown outperform the entire Titans WR core on Sunday was the last straw for Jon Robinson
— Bryson🐻 (@BrysonWright3) December 6, 2022
If it's true Jon Robinson was fired for trading AJ Brown… Why did the Titans' ownership allow him to make the trade in the first place? It's not like it's a surprise that Brown is awesome. The dude posted nearly 3,000 yards & 25 TD in his first three NFL seasons.
— Brandon Kiley (@BKSportsTalk) December 6, 2022
