Nashville Sports Year In Review: The Top 10 Moments Of 2022

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With 2022 in the rearview mirror, let’s take a look back at some of the best moments in the Nashville sports world from this past year.

From Nashville SC opening GEODIS Park to Hany Mukhtar‘s historic season, the second Music City Grand Prix, as well as Roman Josi‘s record breaking season with the Nashville Predators, 2022 saw quite a bit of activity this year in the city’s growing sports industry.

Here are The Sports Credential‘s Top 10 Nashville Sports Moments of 2022.

10 – The Nashville Stampede Win Inaugural PBR Team Series

The Nashville Stampede celebrating their championship win. Photo: Courtesy of the PBR

Professional Bull Riding introduced its team series in 2022, offering fans a new way to cheer for their favorite bull riders.

The Stampede was led by former PBR World Champion Kaique Pacheco and head coach Justin McBride. The team finished the regular season with a record of 7-20-1, but ran the table at the Team Series Playoffs in Las Vegas where they ultimately won the inaugural season.

To read up on the team and the PBR Team Series, click here.

 

9 – Belmont Women’s NCAA Tournament Run

Photo: Courtesy of Belmont Athletics

It’s no secret that the Belmont women’s basketball team has been one of the best college athletic teams in the city for years now, but for the past two years, the team has been able to do what no Belmont WBB team has done before: win NCAA Tournament games.

In 2022, the Bruins took on No. 5 seed Oregon in the first round of the March Madness tournament and went on to win 73-70. Sophomores Tutti Jones and Destinee Wells put on a show where they scored 22 points and 16 points, respectively. This was the Bruins second NCAA Tournament win in program history.

Belmont later took on the Lady Vols of Tennessee on their home court in what was one of the best games of the tournament. Wells and Jones showed up big time again, scoring 22 points and 17 points, respectively, but ultimately fell just short, losing 70-67.

Despite their loss, the Belmont WBB managed to show how dominant of a team they are and will be for the coming seasons.

 

8 – Walker Zimmerman, Shaq Moore Named To USMNT World Cup Roster

Walker Zimmerman and Shaq Moore. Photos: Courtesy of Nashville SC

One of the biggest events of the year was undoubtedly the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The tournament, held in the winter instead of the summer, saw Nashville SC players Walker Zimmerman and Shaq Moore added to the USMNT roster. The Boys in Gold were one of only three clubs to have more than more of their players selected to the USA squad, and the pair were the first NSC players to play in a FIFA World Cup.

Zimmerman started and played all 90 minutes in three games for the USA, including the high-ratings match against England, which ended in a 0-0 draw. Moore played a combined 20 minutes in the tournament.

The U.S. fell to the Netherlands in the first round of the knockout stage 3-1, but Nashville SC successfully made its mark on the international stage.

 

7 – Scott Dixon Wins Dramatic Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

Scott Dixon celebrating his 2022 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix win in victory circle. Photo: Courtesy of the Music City Grand Prix.

The second annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix this past August was one to remember as the NTT IndyCar Series Championship began heating up just as the series hit Nashville.

The already IndyCar legend Scott Dixon walked away victorious by beating Scott McLaughlin by just 0.106 seconds. This was also a record-breaking win for Dixon as he it was his 53rd career-win, making him the second most winningest driver in the sports history.

The New Zealand native started the race in 14th and found some trouble during his first pit stop. After a handful of cautions and some golden opportunities, the Chip Ganassi driver was able to find himself in the front and hold off the rest of the field.

He drove brilliantly and set himself up well to win the IndyCar season after the win in Nashville.

 

6 – Predators Host Stadium Series Game At Nissan Stadium

Nissan Stadium during the NHL Stadium Series. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators continued to shine in the national spotlight as they continue to host major events, most recently being a NHL Stadium Series game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in February. It was the first time an outdoor professional hockey game has ever been played in Nashville or at Nissan Stadium.

There was a lot of hype leading up to the game, which included a week long Winter Park around Bridgestone Arena and downtown Nashville. The game also included a star-studded halftime show with performances by Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert.

Sadly, the Preds fell 3-2  in what became a close and exciting game. If nothing else, Nashville once again proved they are a legit hockey town and that they can host a major sporting event as good as anyone.

 

5 – Mike Vrabel Named Coach of the Year

Mike Vrabel. Photo: Brett Carlsen/Tennessee Titans

The 2021-22 season was a crazy one for the Titans as they fought their way to the AFC’s No. 1 seed after suffering countless injuries, including losing Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry for half the season.

Leadership and roster decisions by head coach Mike Vrabel helped the Titans overcome and win the AFC South for a second-straight season. He was named the 2022-21 NFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a great season despite having to play nearly 100 different players and without the league’s top rusher.

His success was recognized not only by the league, but also with a contract extension from the Titans

 

4 – Roman Josi Breaks Predators Single-Season Points Record

Roman Josi. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators’ 2021-2022 season ended in the first round of the NHL Playoffs, but not before Roman Josi broke the franchise record for points in a single season, finishing with an astounding 96 points.

Josi broke the record by picking up three points on three assists against the Ottawa Senators on April 8. With an outstanding performance last season, he broke the previous record set by Paul Kariya back in 2006. He was also named a Norris Trophy finalist.

Josi also made history when he became the NHL’s highest-scoring defenseman in 29 years, posting 23 goals, 73 assists and 96 points in 80 games. Only six defensemen in the past 50 years have scored more points in a single season.

 

3 – GEODIS Park Opens

GEODIS Park. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

The opening of GEODIS Park was not only a big deal for Nashville SC and soccer in Tennessee, but also for Nashville as a whole. When GEODIS park opened in May 2022, it solidified NSC as the city’s soccer team and third professional sports team.

The stadium became the largest soccer-specific stadium in the U.S. and Canada with a capacity of 30,000. It saw multiple sellouts throughout the season and hosted countless moments of Hany Mukhtar brilliance and memorable moments.

The stadium also offers a new music venue that is a middle ground for attendance between Bridgestone Arena and Nissan Stadium. It is already set to host a string of concerts in 2023.

GEODIS Park will also host the USWNT in 2023 as part of the SheBelieves Cup.

 

2 – Hany Mukhtar Wins MLS Golden Boot & MVP

Hany Mukhtar with the Golden Boot and MVP Awards. Photo: Courtesy of Nashville SC

Only a few years ago, not many people would’ve imagined that a German-born soccer player would etch his name into Nashville sports history, but after winning the 2022 MLS Golden Boot and MVP, Hany Mukhtar has become a household name in Music City.

Mukhtar was nothing short of brilliant last season as he carried Nashville SC back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for a third consecutive year. He had a remarkable 34 goal contributions (23 goals, 11 assists) in 2022, which was tied for the fifth most in a single season in MLS history.

It was a tight race between him and Austin FC’s Sebastian Driussi, but Mukhtar nearly ended that debate when he scored two goals against Austin late in the season.

The Boys in Gold struggled at times and found themselves in deep water, but Mukhtar’s performances carried them through. He scored or assisted on an incredible 65.4 percent of all Nashville SC’s goals in the 2022 season.

 

 

1 – Titans & Mayor Agree To Contract For New Football Stadium

Rendering of new Titans stadium. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

By far the biggest story of the year came when the Titans and Mayor’s office announced a deal to build a new, domed football stadium for the NFL franchise.

In early October, the team and Mayor John Cooper announced their plan that wouldn’t directly hit Nashville taxpayers or come from the city’s general fund. The deal includes a new lease, which will not force the city to pay for any repairs and will keep the Titans in Nashville long-term.

The proposed stadium would be a state-of-the-art building with a capacity of nearly 60,000. It will open the opportunity for Nashville to host the Super Bowl, College Football Playoffs and even a NCAA Final Four.

This new stadium will cost over $2 billion, but will be paid for by the team and the NFL, $500 million in bonds by the state and by a sales tax in and around the stadium, as well as a new hotel occupancy tax. So far, the deal has passed the first wave of approval by the Metro Council and will most likely be finalized in early 2023.

UPDATED: Nashville Community Shows Outpour Of Support After Hospitalization Of Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin

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Photo: Courtesy of Adrian Curiel.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was hospitalized on Jan. 2, and is currently in stable condition after suffering from cardiac arrest from what seemed to be a routine tackle during the Monday Night Football game between the Bengals and Bills.

The injury sent a shock not only throughout the football world, but to the greater sports world and beyond.

The outpour of support that Hamlin, his family and teammates have received via social media and broadcast media has been enormous. From current NFL stars to members of sports media and large companies, everyone is thinking and praying for Hamlin who is fighting for his life at the age of 24.

Members of the Tennessee Titans have tweeted and sent out messages through social media, including Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill who tweeted, “Praying for Damar Hamlin, his family, and everyone in Buffalo…no words for a situation like this.”

Defensive stars Kevin Byard and Jeffery Simmons also posted messages that they are praying for Hamlin and reflecting on how eerie the incident was.

The Nashville Predators also posted a tweet reaching out to support Hamlin and his family during this unimaginable situation.

Other non-football sports organization from around the country haven taken time to show support for Hamlin. His terrifying injury put in perspective that NFL players and professional athletes are humans whose health needs to come first before any game, regardless of how important it is.

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix released a statement saying, “A somber night in sports. Our thoughts and prayers tonight are with the families and friends of both Ken Block and Damar Hamlin.”

Former Titans superstar running back and current TSU head football coach Eddie George posted on social media a picture of Hamlin saying simply “Pray.”

After Hamlin’s hospitalization, fans discovered the GoFundMe page for his annual The Chasing M’s Foundation Community Toy Drive to help give toys to children in need. The original goal was to raise $2,500, but it has now reach $3.8 million and continues to grow.

Hamlin is currently receiving treatment at University of Cincinnati Medical Center and is breathing on his own and is able to speak and communicate with friends, family and teammates.

College Corner: MTSU Football, Vandy Volleyball, Belmont’s Kenny Sidwell

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MTSU Beats San Diego 25-23 At 2022 Hawaii Bowl

Photo: Courtesy of Middle Tennessee Athletics

Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) football pulled off a major comeback at the EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl. The team secured a 25-23 win over over San Diego State off of Zeke Rankin‘s 37-yard field goal at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex on Dec. 24.

Trailing 14-0 after the first quarter, MTSU caught a spark on defense, taking advantage of two SDSU turnovers to regain momentum. Decorian Patterson secured his seventh interception of the season and Christian Dixon ripped the ball right out of Jalen Mayden’s hands to set up MTSU’s first touchdown of the game, a 8-yard strike from Chase Cunningham to Jordan Ferguson. Rankin added two field goals to take MTSU into the locker room down just one point, 14-13.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter to push the score to 17-16, and the Blue Raider defense came up big again, with Ferguson securing an interception. Two fourth quarter Jack Browning field goals, the final of which coming from 52-yards out, would give SDSU the 23-22 lead with 5:43 to play.

But Rankin’s clutch boot from 37-yards out with 2:09 to play retook the lead for MTSU, 25-22. A big sack from Zaylin Wood pushed SDSU into a 4th and 24, and Teldrick Ross picked up the fumble of the hook and ladder to secure the win.

 

 

Vanderbilt Names Anders Nelson As Volleyball Coach

Anders Nelson. Photo: Tommy Quarles for University of Kentucky Athletics

Vanderbilt has named Anders Nelson as the head coach of its newly announced volleyball team. Nelson has been rising through the ranks and led Kentucky to a NCAA national championship, being the first SEC volleyball program to win a national championship.

This past April, Vanderbilt announced the addition of volleyball as its 17th varsity sport. The program was originally discontinued after the 1979-80 academic year.

“It is a unique honor to join the Vanderbilt family as the first head volleyball coach of this new era,” Nelson says. “From the beginning of my lifelong relationship with volleyball, I learned to value not only the thrill of competition but the opportunity to influence how young people see themselves and the world around them.” He continues, “Challenging and supporting student-athletes to be their best on the court unlocks their potential off the court. To build an SEC program on those principles, in a vibrant and dynamic city, at a world-class university like Vanderbilt is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I’m grateful to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Candice Lee for entrusting it to me.  There is so much to do before 2025, and I can’t wait to get started.”

As Kentucky’s head coach, Nelson not only led the Wildcat’s to a 2022 National Championship, but extended a streak of winning at least a share of six consecutive SEC championships. He will lead a Commodore program that begins play in the 2025-26 academic year.

Nelson, 35, spent the past 11 seasons at Kentucky, first as an assistant coach and as associate head coach for the past seven seasons. The Wildcats reached the NCAA tournament in each of his 11 seasons in Lexington, and progressed to at least the second round on all but one occasion. In his seven seasons as associate head coach, Kentucky compiled a 117-11 record in official SEC matches and won at least a share of six conference titles, including a perfect 18-0 record in 2018.

 

 

Former Belmont Coach & Administrator Kenny Sidwell Dies

Former Belmont University coach and administrator Kenneth “Kenny” Sidwell passed away on Sunday (Dec. 25) at the age of 86.

A Cave City, Kentucky native who was inducted into the Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993, Sidwell was a coach and administrator for the university for five decades. He arrived at Belmont in 1962 to be the head coach of the men’s basketball team. Sidwell also took on the duties as head baseball coach. After a five year stint at Tennessee Tech, he returned to Belmont in 1972 to serve as head basketball coach for a second time.

After two seasons, he gave up his coaching duties to become dean of students for the university under then president, Herbert Gabhart, a position he would hold for 15 years. In the early 1990s, Sidwell would become the first full-time Director of Athletics at Belmont, as he helped navigate the school’s move from NAIA to NCAA Division I in 1996. He later served as the school’s Director of Compliance before retiring in 2006.

Sidwell graduated from Tennessee Tech as the school’s all-time leading scorer, and he maintains dozens of Golden Eagle and OVC all-time records. He is a member of three Halls of Fame: the Belmont Athletic Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame, and the Kentucky High School Sports Hall of Fame.

Sidwell is survived by his wife Margaret, his son Tommy (Suzanne), and two grandchildren.

Former Vols Quarterback Joshua Dobbs Signs With The Titans

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Joshua Dobbs. Photo: Donald Page/Tennessee Athletics

Former University of Tennessee quarterback Joshua Dobbs is signing with the Tennessee Titans, according to his agent Mike McCartney on Twitter.

This move by the Titans comes with just three games left in the regular season as Ryan Tannehill continues to struggle with injuries.

Dobbs had an extremely successful career as the Volunteers starting QB where he threw for 7,138 yards and 53 touchdowns, and ran for 2,160 yards and 32 touchdowns. He led the Vols to three-straight bowl wins, including a win at the 2016 Music City Bowl.

He was previously on the Detroit Lions practice squad, and was drafted by the Pittsburg Steeler in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft where he served as a backup.

No announcement has been made to whether Dobbs or current backup QB Malik Willis will start against the Houston Texans on Saturday (Dec. 24) at Nissan Stadium.

TSC Temp Check: Titans Approaching ‘Do-Or-Die’ After Three-Game Skid

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Sunday is going to be a major feat for the Titans as they head to Los Angeles to face the LA Chargers in an attempt to snap a three-game losing streak.

Tennessee still sits in first place with a 7-6 record but their loss to division rivals Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Dec. 11 wasn’t just a blow to their division lead but was also a huge blow to morale.

The Titans loss to the Jaguars was one of the franchises worst losses of the season, losing to their division rival at home for the first time since 2013. With just four games left, two against the Dallas Cowboys and Chargers and two against the Texans and Jags, they can find a way to clinch the division but a lot needs to be tweaked if they want to bounce back after last weekend’s disaster.

After a week where ownership announced the firing of general manager Jon Robinson and back-to-back losses, the Titans had an opportunity to come back, show how united they were and beat up on a struggling rival. The opposite happened.

Against the Jaguars, the Titans showed confidence and excitement in the first quarter, scoring in their opening drive with great work by Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry. But it didn’t take long for the Jags to figure out the team. All they needed was a quarter and a half of play and they completely flipped the script.

Ryan Tannehill. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

It also didn’t help that the Titans had four turnovers in the game, including two in the first half which lead to back-to-back scores from Jacksonville. The first came off a sack fumble which occurred when the Jaguars defensive line blew up the left side of the Titans offensive line and Tannehill’s blindside. Another example of how the offensive lien has truly held back the Titans this season.

Later in the second quarter when the Titans led 14-7, they were marching down the field and Tannehill was looking great, making passes and finding receivers like Robert Woods. But a poor Tannehill interception on a miscommunicated play gave the Jags the ball right back.

The Jaguars would kick a field goal to make it 14-10 and would take control of the game from here on out. Trevor Lawrence showed up big time and would go on to destroy the Titans secondary. It looked like all Jacksonville needed was a quarter to figure out the Titans before taking command and never looking back.

Tennessee’s third quarter was horrendous as they failed to produce anything on offense as their defense continued to be crushed. As Henry looked great in the first half, he was nowhere to be seen in the second. His performance in the final 30 minutes was in the complete opposite direction.

The team has relied on Henry’s production so many times and it has paid off, but this time, the lack of creativity on offense truly stifled any momentum the Titans could build.

Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

So what needs to happen in the Titans next game against a scrappy Chargers team who are fighting for a play off spot?

First off, the Titans need to allow Tannehill to continue to hit his receivers to build confidence in the passing game. Without a true No. 1 guy, the passing game has been quite flat this season. In the game against the Jaguars, Tannehill found Chig Okonkwo and Woods multiple times. Tennessee needs to build off of this positive take and try to create some energy around Tannehill.

Secondly, their defense needs to shutdown Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert early and force them to play catch-up. If the Titans were able to do that in the first half more often, the Jaguars would’ve had a steeper hill to climb. But all of this also relies on the coaching staff.

Mike Vrabel needs to make tough and dire decisions with moves on the offensive line and in special teams to help prevent disasters we’ve already seen this season. And offensive coordinator Todd Downing has to coach a game with some sort of creativity as his job may be on the line if the Titans offense fails to produce and Tennessee loses a fourth-straight.

A few weeks ago, Vrabel said the team was at a ‘crossroads’ and they went on to lose to the Jaguars at home. Talk is cheap now and they have to make moves in the right direction and show real progress that can lift the team to the playoffs and beyond.

Titans Select Knoxville West High School Coach, Lamar Brown, As 2022 Coach of the Year

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Pictured (L-R): Knoxville West High School head coach Lamar Brown and Josh Corey, Titans Director of Marketing, Youth & Community Engagement. Photo: Joe Howell/Tennessee Titans

Coach Lamar Brown of Knoxville West High School has been named 2022 Tennessee Titans High School Coach of the Year after leading his team to a perfect 15-0 season for the first time in the school’s history. The team also ended the season by winning the Class 5A Tennessee State Championship.

“Coach Brown exemplifies everything we look for in a Coach of the Year winner–integrity, passion and grit. His work at West High School extends far past winning a state championship as he continues to build a reputation for growing and fostering the highest level of character in these young men,” says Josh Corey, Titans Director of Marketing, Youth & Community Engagement. “We know high school coaches have the influence to impact young athletes in the most profound of ways, and Coach Brown is a shining example of that effort coming to fruition.”

Coach Brown has a 61-19 overall record through his six seasons at West High School and has won three consecutive region championships. This season alone, West High School defeated two of its greatest competitors–8x defending Class 3A state champion Alcoa High School and Class 6A semifinalist Maryville High School–during the regular season. This state title represents the second in West High School history and the first since 2014.

As the 2022 Tennessee Titans Coach of the Year, Brown received a grant in the amount of $2,500 from the Titans and a $1,000 personal award from the NFL to benefit his football program.

“There is no one more deserving of his honor than Coach Brown. He continues to build our football program the right way–with character at the forefront of every decision,” adds West High School Principal, Dr. Ashley Speas. “He is a terrific football coach, but his influence runs much deeper as he develops these young men with a love of their school and tremendous pride in their community. He truly has a heart of gold and we are lucky to have him.”

This honor qualifies Coach Brown for the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year award, honoring high school football coaches that display integrity, achievement and leadership exemplified by the coach with the most wins in NFL history, Don Shula. Announced in January, the winner receives grant prizes of over $25,000 for personal and football program use.

Vanderbilt Football Celebrates 2022 RISE Awards, Anfernee Orji Named MVP

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Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea with linebacker Anfernee Orji. Photo: Courtesy of Vanderbilt Athletics

Vanderbilt football head coach Clark Lea and his program celebrated Team 2 at the second annual RISE Awards on Saturday night (Dec. 10) on the Vanderbilt campus, commemorating a season where the Commodores overachieved preseason expectations.

Senior linebacker Anfernee Orji was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive season, while Gavin Schoenwald collected the Team 2 Player of the Year Award. Additionally, Will Sheppard was named Offensive Player of the Year and CJ Taylor earned Defensive Player of the Year.

Other awards included the Scholar of the Year, which went to Ethan Barr, scout team top performers, and the Lance Brown Impact Award, given to Director of Sport Nutrition Julia Baird.

The evening officially concluded the 2022 campaign, which saw the Commodores more than double their win total from a year ago as Lea completed his second season at the helm of his alma mater.

2022 Rise Award Winners:

Freshmen of the Year – Jayden McGowan & AJ Swann

Newcomer of the Year – Gunnar Hansen

O-Show Award (Offensive Scout)- Cole Spence

Skull & Bones Award (Defensive Scout) – Linus Zunk

Rough Riders Award (Special Teams Scout) – Alan “Taco” Wright

Offensive Most Improved – Quincy Skinner Jr.

Defensive Most Improved – Devin Lee

Reaper Award (Strength & Conditioning) – Jaylen Mahoney

Scholar of the Year – Ethan Barr

Special Teams Player of the Year – Cooper Lutz

Specialist of the Year – Matthew Hayball

Courage Award – Daevion Davis

Fighting Spirit Award – Gamarion Carter

Offensive Trench – Jacob Brammer

Defensive Trench – Nate Clifton & Christian James

VUFB Warrior – Ben Bresnahan & Maxwell Worship

Respect & Appreciation Award – Charlie Dallape

Stone Cutter Award – Bradley Ashmore

Lance Brown Impact Award – Julia Baird

Offensive Player of the Year – Will Sheppard

Defensive Player of the Year – CJ Taylor

Team Two Player of the Year – Gavin Schoenwald

Most Valuable Player – Anfernee Orji

Column: What The Jon Robinson Firing Says About The Future Of Titans Ownership

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Titans controling owner Amy Adams Strunk at the team’s training camp. Photo: Courtesy of the Tennessee Titans

Shocking many in the Titans and NFL world, Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired general manager Jon Robinson earlier this week after signing him to a four year contract extension in February.

This move came after the Titans suffered back-to-back losses to the Bengals and the Eagles, who beat the Titans 35-10. This loss added insult to injury seeing as the Eagles won with the help of former Titan AJ Brown who Robinson traded in a controversial move during the 2022 NFL Draft.

There’s a lot you can unpack when looking at Robinson’s seven-year tenure with the Titans–good moves, bad moves, sustained success, and sustained mediocrity–but the most surprising part of this move was the timing.

Not many teams would fire their GM in the middle of the season while they still tout a winning record, are ranked first in their division, and are coming off back-to-back division titles.

And let’s not forget that the ink is still wet on his four-year contract extension.

Head coach Mike Vrabel made it clear in a press conference on Wednesday (Dec. 7) that he was not part of the conversation regarding Robinson’s future with the team, and that he learned of his termination the same day the public did.

All of this truly begs the question: Why fire Robinson? Furthermore, why fire him in the middle of a season that’s far from being over?

When you look at what’s been going on with the Titans this past year in regards to their stadium issues, they have been the topic in not only the sports world, but the front page of most news publications.

The city and state are helping fund a brand new $2.8 billion stadium for the Titans after months of speculation and even whispers of relocation if the city wouldn’t help. Under this new lease, the Titans and the NFL will have to pay for any and all upgrades and renovations for the new stadium.

Now, lets look at the team.

The past few seasons, the Titans have found themselves back into relevancy with a few playoff wins, AFC South titles and with the major success of Derrick Henry. However, its hard to celebrate this success without attributing it to Robinson who drafted Henry, hired Vrabel and eventually traded for Ryan Tannehill, who’s been QB1 for the past three seasons.

The Titans were the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC last season but lost in the first round to the Cincinnati Bengals, choking in humiliating fashion behind a poor offensive performance. The team proved it had a championship window and that it needed more to be a team that could beat Kansas City or Buffalo for an AFC Title.

Sadly, Robinson went on to trade their best offensive weapon in Brown to the Eagles, who are currently the best team in all of the NFL.

Along with a few very poor drafts, the Titans window of being a Super Bowl contender is closing rapidly.

With this window of opportunity and the media attention on the new stadium, Strunk is making it clear that just making the playoffs is not good enough.

If Nashville is going to build a brand new stadium and make it the crown jewel of the city, the Titans need to be the best they can possibly be to ensure they’re filling the stadium up and keeping the team competitive.

Was the decision to fire Robinson in the middle of the season a bit impatient? Maybe, but it’s hard to deny that Strunk and the ownership group are making a statement. If they want to be the biggest show in town, they have to start building a team that will make them worthy of that name.

Obviously firing Robinson who’t change much for the Titans this season as Vrabel already has a major task at hand with the amount of player injuries, as well as the poor performing offense, but more changes need to come if Strunk wants to continue pushing Vrabel and the Titans in the right direction.

If they want to win, they need to spend money making smart moves and building a front office that is poised to win.

Simply put: Firing Robinson needs to be the first step in many moves to come.