- Head coach Mike Vrabel has fired special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman
- Tennessee suffered several special teams breakdowns in Sunday's loss to Indy
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Not only did the struggling Tennessee Titans lose their punter on Sunday, but they have now lost their special teams coordinator.
Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel has fired special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman after a Titans punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown, followed by punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a gruesome season-ending injury on his next attempt.
Vrabel announced the rare mid-season coaching change on Monday, with Tom Quinn taking over for the remainder of this season.
The move comes after the Titans (4-8) lost Stonehouse to an injured left leg. Vrabel said Stonehouse will require season-ending surgery, costing the Titans a punter who as a rookie set an NFL single-season record for gross yards per punt that had stood since 1940.
“I had a conversation with Craig Aukerman,” Vrabel told reporters, “and (we're) going to go ahead and make a change there in our leadership in the special teams unit. I'm excited about the possibility of Tom Quinn leading that group. Tom will take over those tasks.'
Tennessee Titans special teams coach Craig Aukerman (pictured) has been fired by the team
Colts safety Nick Cross (No. 20) blocks a kick from Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse (No. 4)
Titans punter Ryan Stonehouse (4) is being monitored by medical staff after his serious injury
“I felt like the timing was what it needed to be,” Vrabel said of his decision to fire Aukerman, who was promoted to special teams coach when Vrabel was hired as head coach in 2018.
Vrabel was also asked about Quinn, who already worked for the Titans and was previously the Giants' special teams coordinator.
“He brings a lot of experience and knowledge, he's a great teacher,” Vrabel said. “So hopefully we can continue with the things we've done right, and there's been plenty of things we've done right, and hopefully eliminate the mistakes that cost you a lot.”
Stonehouse was injured when Tony Brown timed the snap and ran from the outside and knocked the ball out of the punter's hands, crashing into the punter's left leg. Stonehouse was helped to the sideline and then driven to the locker room.
The undrafted punter from Colorado State left on crutches with his leg in a brace. Stonehouse currently leads the NFL with a gross punt average of 53.1 yards per punt, and he is tied for the league lead in placing 28 punts inside an opponent's 20.
The Titans gave up a field goal after the Colts recovered Stonehouse's punt, costing Tennessee 10 points in the 31-28 overtime loss to Indianapolis.
As kicker Nick Folk punted twice for the first time in the 39-year-old veteran's NFL career, he missed an extra point that would have put the Titans up 26-25 late in regulation in partnership with Ryan Tannehill, the backup up quarterback and holder padding. for Stonehouse.
Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel (photo) may also be in first place with his team (4-8).
Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said Stonehouse (pictured) will require season-ending surgery
Vrabel didn't fire offensive coordinator Todd Downing last November when Downing was arrested after Tennessee's most recent road win, a Thursday night victory in Green Bay. He fired Downing after the season ended.
“There's no real precedent,” Vrabel said of his decision. “You try to get a feel for what's best and what's needed when we've done something in the past. …Those decisions are about timing and feeling. That's the decision that's been made.”
Vrabel also took the blame when punt returner Kyle Philips fumbled a kick with seconds left until halftime in a 24-16 loss to Baltimore in London. The Ravens recovered for a last-second field goal.
Quinn joined the Titans this offseason after spending last year at Army. He worked for the New York Giants from 2006 to 2021 as an assistant and special teams coordinator under four different head coaches.