Titans' Mike Vrabel Praises Todd Downing After Promotion to OC

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel had plenty of praise to heap on Todd Downing after he was promoted from tight ends coach to offensive coordinator Friday. 

"Todd did a great job with the tight ends over the last two years and had important role in the game-planning process each week," Vrabel said, according to the team's official website. "I was impressed with the details of his teaching and the production from his group and the offense in general."

Downing will take over for Arthur Smith, who served as the team's offensive coordinator for two seasons before accepting the Atlanta Falcons head coaching position.     

The Titans finished 12th in yards and 10th in points in 2019 and third in yards and fourth in points in 2020. Much of that was due to a bruising running game behind Derrick Henry, who has led the NFL in rushing yards in each of the last two years. 

Ryan Tannehill also resuscitated his career in Smith's offenses, throwing for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns and just seven interceptions this season, completing 65.5 percent of his passes.

It helped that the Titans have a bona fide star-in-the-making at wide receiver in A.J. Brown and a player in Corey Davis who had a career year in 2020 (65 receptions for 984 yards and five touchdowns) and looks to be reaching his potential after being a first-round pick in 2017. 

Vrabel noted that while Downing will have the freedom to make tweaks to Smith's system, the foundation has been laid for the offense moving forward. 

"I am sure he will have some new ideas to implement, but the core system will be in place to build upon, which I think is important," he said. 

Suffice it to say, Downing will be joining an offense with plenty of talent for a Titans team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Smith leaves big shoes behind to fill.