Tennessee Titans

What someone says isn't always as important as how they say it.

During voluntary team activities, reporters asked Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill how he can help third-round pick Malik Willis. His defensive response indicated he's threatened by the idea of losing his job to the rookie.

"We're competing against each other. We're watching the same tape. We're doing the same drills," Tannehill said. "I don't think it's my job to mentor him. But if he learns from me along the way, then that's a great thing."

Insert eyeball emoji.

To be fair, nothing Tannehill said was wrong. The two will be in the same quarterback room, learning the same things and competing. Nothing in his contract says he must mentor his counterpart. In the NFL, an individual plays as long as their team can't find a better or cheaper alternative. It's clear Tannehill remembers how he came into his position.

Some differences exist, though. Tannehill, a first-round selection himself in 2012, displaced 2015 No. 2 pick Marcus Mariota after Tannehill was traded to Tennessee in March 2019. The Miami Dolphins had given up on him. So, he knows what it's like to take someone's job and likely sees a similar pattern.

The way in which Tannehill responded said everything about his insecurity after the Titans chose Willis with the 86th pick.

Some may say too many are reading far too much into Tannehill's response. Jimmy Garoppolo endured a comparable situation last year when the San Francisco 49ers traded for the No. 3 pick last year, giving up two first-round selections and a third-rounder and then drafting his eventual replacement. 

"You come into this NFL career and start as the young guy. I came in, Tom [Brady] kind of showed me the ropes," Garoppolo said when asked about being a mentor on Keyshawn, Will and Zubin (h/t ESPN's Nick Wagoner). "The competition between us was awesome. It really made me grow as a rookie and a young player. Me and Trey [Lance] will mold our relationship into that. It'll happen naturally. You can't force anything. Let it come as it may."

Similar questions. Similar answers. Completely different tones.

The NFL can be cutthroat. No one denies how difficult and taxing the business aspect of professional football can be. But there's something to be said about leadership, particularly at the quarterback position, and how it permeates an organization. Quite a few current and former players had plenty to say about Tannehill's response and how it reflected poorly on his status as a team leader.

"If you don't want to mentor I get it," LeSean McCoy tweeted, "but don't call yourself a good teammate. If anything happens to you and he needs to replace you let's pray he is prepared. Winning is the only stat that matters if you are a good teammate."

Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner added, "I will never understand the 'I'm not here to mentor the next guy' mentality."

Saints cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who's not shy about making his feelings known, went as far as to say he hopes Willis takes Tannehill's job.

Then again, former Titan Jonnu Smith rightly stated that it's a competitive league. Competition should make a player better. If it doesn't, he shouldn't be in that spot. With that mind, Tannehill could have a difficult time holding off Willis depending on how the latter picks up the system and develops based on the opportunities available to him.

Willis' developmental curve is the crux of the setup.

The dual-threat option was viewed as a first-round prospect because of his talent. No one in the quarterback class presented as much upside, not even Kenny Pickett, whom the Pittsburgh Steelers chose with the 20th pick and was the only first-round signal-caller.

Willis is an elite athlete with the arm to threaten every blade of grass.

"To me, he's the No. 1 guy in the class," an AFC general manager told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. "And for whatever people want to talk about in terms of readiness or all this other stuff—it was the same thing with Josh Allen, it was the same thing with Patrick Mahomes. I think people are a little short-sighted with that kid."

An NFC coordinator agreed: "He's the only one with the talent level that deserves [to be picked in Round 1]. Now, there's some holes in his game. [But] to me, he's a better prospect than Trey Lance was a year ago and a better prospect than Justin Fields was a year ago."

An AFC coordinator said, "If I had to take a quarterback this year, I would take Willis, because at least he's got the talent to get himself out of a jam when things don't look pretty."

If so many believe in Willis, why did he fall into the third round? Simple: a steep learning curve.

The comparisons provided to Pelissero are interesting, and not just because two of them involved the game's best. Rather, the timing in those scenarios could provide a template for Willis and the Titans.

Allen started out of the gate. But Mahomes and Lance barely played during their rookie seasons. Even in Allen's case, he needed years of guidance while playing in the same system to fully harness his capabilities.

Tannehill shouldn't be worried that Willis will take his job at the onset of camp because the likelihood of that is basically nil. Willis needs time to adjust. While that is true of all rookie signal-callers, Liberty's offense under the direction of head coach Hugh Freeze did Willis no favors.

The Flames didn't have talent around Willis. The scheme wasn't comparable to nearly anything in the NFL. Pocket pressure forced him to make things happen far too often. Willis even struggled to make the correct reads and decisions. Everyone sees his potential but understands he's a work in progress. That makes Willis the class' most intriguing quarterback prospect, as an NFC coach told Pelissero:

"If there's any of them that you're going to look back and say he turned into a really difference-making player at the position, the one guy that has a chance to do that is probably the Liberty guy. But there's also a chance that he just doesn't develop as a passer the way he's going to need to and he flames out. He's got a wide range of ways that his career could go. But he's a guy that you see some special plays on tape with, stuff you can't coach—off-schedule production, extending the play. He's an outstanding runner. He'll be a top-five runner, maybe a top-three runner at the position from day one. And then he's got all the arm in the world. It's just going to be about whether he can hone that in and learn to play the way a team's going to need him to play in the pass game, just in terms of decision-making and playing fast."

Willis landed in one of the best possible situations, even if the same can't be said for Tannehill. Willis won't have to deal with the pressure of being a first-round pick and face of the franchise. He won't be thrust into the lineup. He can sit back, take his reps and learn, even if the veteran in front of him isn't eager to help.

Tennessee offensive coordinator Todd Downing could tailor portions of the offense to Willis' skill set and take advantage of his athleticism and strong arm as early as training camp. The Titans can sprinkle in run-pass options and designed packages to get Willis on the field. As he learns and grows, Willis can work his way into a bigger role, specifically a starting opportunity.

Willis' growth potential is enormous. Every season, the importance of quarterbacks working off-platform and outside of structure becomes more important. Willis is special in that regard. But his upside is only half the equation.

Tannehill's time is running short.

The 10-year veteran will turn 34 in July, and his contract only runs through 2023. If Willis shows promise this season—on the field or in practice—the organization can release Tannehill next offseason and save $17.8 million, per Over the Cap. If it waits until after June 1, that figure will balloon to $27 million.

Tannehill deserves credit for providing consistency and stabilizing the franchise. Even so, the Titans' trajectory plateaued because they don't feature the caliber of quarterback play needed to compete with the AFC's best, no matter how many wins they rack up in the regular season.

Running back Derrick Henry is the star of the show. Willis could provide something unique alongside the game's premier workhorse as yet another running threat who can bring extra defenders into the box and then throw over the top in play action.

The Titans lack dynamic traits. Willis can bring those. He simply needs time. As such, Tannehill knows his time is limited, and he reacted like someone who already knows his fate.

   

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

Before selecting Malik Willis in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft, the Tennessee Titans pursued a more drastic approach to address the quarterback position.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday on NFL Live the Titans "were dipping their toes" in the Aaron Rodgers trade market and explored a move for Deshaun Watson, only to discover the Houston Texans wouldn't trade him within the division.

The Titans were sending an implicit message by adding Willis. Tannehill is under contract for two more seasons, but Tennessee is already sketching out a possible succession plan.

Considering Willis will likely need a lot of work in order to be a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL, there's no guarantee he'll be the eventual replacement for Tannehill. The Pittsburgh Steelers tabbed Mason Rudolph in the third round of the 2018 draft to potentially take over for Ben Roethlisberger, and they've since moved on to another long-term solution with Kenny Pickett.

That Tennessee considered a trade for Rodgers or Watson signaled a more pressing desire to replace Tannehill.

The 33-year-old saw his numbers decline in 2021. He threw for 3,734 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His 55.9 QBR was the lowest of his Titans tenure, per Pro Football Reference.

Then came the AFC divisional round. Tannehill finished 15-of-24 for 220 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions as the top-seeded Titans were sent packing.

Just as the arrival of Jordan Love seemed to light a fire under Rodgers to stymie the Green Bay Packers' future plans, the selection of Willis could have a galvanizing effect for Tannehill. Granted, he lost his No. 1 wide receiver, A.J. Brown, this offseason.

Tannehill's comment that he doesn't see it as his "job to mentor [Willis]" seem to expose a level of uneasiness he feels about his status within the Titans' plans. Based on Schefter's report, that feeling wouldn't be unwarranted.

Newly acquired Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown reportedly made it clear to the Tennessee Titans well before the 2022 NFL draft that he wanted to be traded.

According to ESPN's Turron Davenport, Brown asked for a trade and cut off all contact with the Titans, including his coaches, three weeks before the draft after the two sides were unable to come to terms on a new contract.

As a result, Tennessee traded Brown to the Eagles for the 18th overall pick, as well as a 2022 third-round selection. The Titans used No. 18 to select Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks, who will presumably be Brown's replacement.

Meanwhile, the Eagles signed Brown to a four-year, $100 million contract, making him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the NFL.

With Brown's deal averaging an annual value of $25 million, only Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins, Davante Adams of the Las Vegas Raiders and DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals make more on a per-year basis at the wide receiver position, according to Spotrac.

Given Brown's resume, it is both easy to understand why the Titans were reluctant to give him that type of contract and why the Eagles jumped at the opportunity.

Brown will only be 25 years old when the 2022 season begins, and the 2019 second-round pick has done some good things during his three-year NFL career.

Overall, Brown has 185 receptions for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns, putting him on pace for nearly 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns per season.

He reached the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie with 52 grabs for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns, and he followed that up with his first and only Pro Bowl nod to date in 2020 when he had 70 catches for 1,075 yards and 11 scores, all of which remain career highs.

Brown's production fell off last season, however, to 63 receptions for 869 yards and five touchdowns. Injury was partly to blame, as he missed four games.

The former Ole Miss standout also missed two contests in 2020, so durability concerns may have factored into the Titans' decision to trade him.

Brown said the Titans only offered him a contract worth $16 million per year that could have reached $20 million with incentives. He added that he would have signed a new deal with Tennessee had he been offered $22 million per season.

According to Davenport, a Titans representative said Brown was offered a deal worth $20 million per season without incentives, but Brown wanted more than $25 million once the wide receiver market exploded during the offseason, particularly with the Jacksonville Jaguars signing Christian Kirk to a four-year, $72 million deal.

As for the Eagles, they were likely to use one of their two first-round picks on a receiver, but trading for Brown gives them a proven option right away.

While Philadelphia did not have a 1,000-yard receiver last season, 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith showed promise, finishing with 64 catches for 916 yards and five touchdowns.

Now quarterback Jalen Hurts has a legitimate wide receiver duo of Brown and Smith to throw to, as well as an ascending tight end in Dallas Goedert.

There is some risk involved with the deal, but it could be a move that helps the Eagles truly contend for the NFC East crown this season.

A.J. Brown declined to say if he requested a trade from the Tennessee Titans at his introductory press conference with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday.

Brown on if he requested a trade from the Titans: “I’m going to try not to get into all that”

— Ben Arthur 🇬🇭 (@benyarthur) May 2, 2022

The Eagles acquired the star wide receiver last Thursday and signed him to a four-year, $100 million extension with $57 million guaranteed. Philadelphia parted with the 18th and 101st overall picks in the 2022 NFL draft for Brown.

Tennessee selected Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks with the No. 18 selection and later dealt No. 101 to the New York Jets alongside No. 26 for Nos. 35, 69 and 163.

Brown was entering the final year of his rookie deal before the trade. He was due for some big money after averaging 73 catches, 1,184 yards and nine touchdowns per 17 games through his first three seasons.

However, Brown told ESPN's Turron Davenport that the Titans made a low extension proposal.

"This wasn't my fault," Brown said. "I wanted to stay, but the deal they offered was a low offer. The deal they offered wasn't even $20 million a year."

Per Davenport, Brown claimed that the Titans offer was for $16 million per season and that incentives could have give the contract a $20 million average.

Titans general manager Jon Robinson spoke with reporters last Thursday after the trade and said the "gap" was simply too much to bridge for both sides.

"We had discussions back and forth, and we realized we got to the point where it was going to be hard to get a deal done [to keep him]," Robinson said. "So, the trade thing kind of manifested."

ESPN's Dianna Russini said Brown requested nearly $80 million guaranteed. He's not getting that in Philadelphia, but he's now just one of four wideouts in the league with a nine-figure contract alongside the Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams, the Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill and the Cleveland Browns' Amari Cooper.

The Tennessee Titans hope they found their quarterback of the future with the selection of Liberty's Malik Willis with the 86th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Friday in Las Vegas.

Although Willis was firmly on the draft radar throughout his final season with the Flames, his stock started to soar thanks to his strong performance during Senior Bowl week.

The 22-year-old Atlanta native, who started his college career at Auburn before transferring to Liberty in 2019 for a shot at more consistent playing time, features a combination of arm talent and playmaking ability with his legs that perfectly fits the modern NFL play style.

He's still a work in progress, but the upside is obvious. Here's a glimpse at how the Titans' depth chart shapes up following his arrival:

QB: Ryan Tannehill, Logan Woodside, Kevin Hogan

Willis played 23 games across two seasons with the Flames following the transfer. He completed 62.4 percent of his throws for 5,107 yards (222 per game) with 47 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. He added 1,822 rushing yards and 27 scores on the ground.

The key question is how long it will take for him to translate his jaw-dropping skill set into high-level production against NFL defenses.

Bleacher Report's Nate Tice described him as "more of a toolsy player than a viable starting NFL quarterback at this point in time" but noted there are a lot of things to like in his predraft scouting report:

"Willis is an athletic and tough quarterback who can create plays out of structure with his legs and arm. He has average height but a good build and has no qualms about taking repeated hits throughout a game. He's a major weapon on designed quarterback runs.

"When Willis is in rhythm, his arm strength pops off the screen. He throws a catchable deep ball and can drive intermediate throws into tight spaces. When he's able to anticipate throws—usually on the outside or on RPOs—he flashes good accuracy. Willis is able to easily break a defense's contain with his agility and burst, and he has the ability to flip his hips and change arm angles when throwing on the move while also remaining accurate."

Those traits are basically a shot-for-shot breakdown of what it takes to become an ideal modern QB, as illustrated by the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen and Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert, among others.

Bleacher Report's Scouting Department listed Willis as the No. 2 quarterback in the class behind Desmond Ridder, ranked 48th overall.

Willis must become better at reading defenses and using all sectors of the field in the passing game, but his long-term potential makes him an intriguing addition.

Regardless of what happens during his rookie year in Tennessee—he'll likely begin his pro career as a backup—this is a pick based on the long-term outlook. If he develops quickly and ends up finding stardom quicker than expected, that's merely a bonus.

The Titans are placing a bet that the highlight-reel moments he produced throughout college will eventually become his norm in the NFL, too. It's not a guarantee that will happen, but it's hard to argue against taking a chance on his type of talent.

Wide receiver A.J. Brown said the Tennessee Titans weren't willing to offer him what he felt was a market-value contract, which led to his trade to the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2022 NFL draft Thursday night.

The Eagles acquired Brown for the Nos. 18 and 101 picks. The 2020 Pro Bowl selection told ESPN's Turron Davenport he didn't want to leave the Titans.

"This wasn't my fault," he said. "I wanted to stay, but the deal they offered was a low offer. The deal they offered wasn't even $20 million a year."

Brown explained the Titans' proposal checked in around $16 million per year with incentives that could have allowed him to approach $20 million annually. That fell short of his asking price in negotiations.

"I would have stayed if they offered me $22 million," Brown told Davenport.

Several star receivers have inked contracts this offseason, which significantly raised the bar for the type of deals a player of Brown's caliber could expect.

A $16 million average salary would have ranked 19th at the position and only represent a shade over half the $30 million Tyreek Hill received in his contract with the Miami Dolphins after his trade from the Kansas City Chiefs, per Spotrac.

Declining the Titans' proposal worked out for Brown, who proceeded to receive a four-year, $100 million extension from the Eagles, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It includes $57 million in guaranteed money.

Meanwhile, the Titans selected Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks with the No. 18 pick it received from Philadelphia in the trade. He'll likely receive a rookie deal in the neighborhood of $14.4 million over four years and carry a minuscule $2.6 million cap hit for 2022, per Spotrac.

So Tennessee, which features a run-first offense led by Derrick Henry, is taking the calculated risk that Burks can provide more bang for the buck over the next handful of years than Brown.

The Eagles had the financial flexibility to pay Brown, and now they'll feature one of the NFL's best one-two receiving tandems as he joins DeVonta Smith.

It creates a potential win-win situation for Philly and Tennessee, with both sides yielding some benefits from the trade.

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown in a draft-day trade and promptly gave him a four-year, $100 million extension, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Eagles are giving AJ Brown a 4-year, $100 million extension that includes $57 million guaranteed, per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 29, 2022

Soon after the news broke, Brown posted a since-deleted tweet addressing Titans fans, per Paul Kuharsky of OutKick 360.

Who deletes more tweets than A.J. Brown? #Titans

He has to know by now we screenshot them, right? pic.twitter.com/FsLdODpQWX

— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) April 29, 2022

Brown played in Tennessee for three seasons and had 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns last year.

Brown later sent a follow-up tweet to Titans fans:

I love y’all Tennessee 🤍

— AJ BROWN (@1kalwaysopen_) April 29, 2022

As far as why Brown is out of town, Titans general manager Jon Robinson offered an explanation in his post-round press conference:

Jon Robinson on negotiating with A.J. Brown: There was a lot of circumstances and thought that went into it. We've compensated guys in free agency but I come back to the gap that we had to bridge which was too far that we had to make for any progress. #Titans

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) April 29, 2022

Brown had one year left on his rookie deal entering this season. Now he's getting a fat nine-figure contract a la superstar wideouts in the Las Vegas Raiders' Davante Adams and the Miami Dolphins' Tyreek Hill.

The Eagles' big win is a tough loss for the Titans, although they added reinforcements by selecting Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks with the No. 18 pick acquired from the Eagles. They also have the No. 35 overall selection and can double-dip at wideout if they so choose.

Arkansas wide receiver Treylon Burks is heading to the Tennessee Titans after being selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday in Las Vegas.

Welcome to Tennessee, Treylon Burks! #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/FapqirHcZV

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) April 29, 2022

Tennessee moved up into the 18th pick after trading A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Burks showcased steady improvement across three years with the Razorbacks. He wrapped up his career with 66 catches for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns across 12 appearances as a junior in 2021.

His strong production against SEC defenses combined with his NFL-ready frame (6'3, 225 lbs) makes him a likely instant-impact addition for the Titans. Here's how the team's offensive depth chart shapes up following his arrival:

---

QB: Ryan Tannehill, Logan Woodside, Kevin Hogan

RB: Derrick Henry, Dontrell Hilliard, Trenton Cannon, Jordan Wilkins

WR: Treylon Burks, Racey McMath, Josh Malone

WR: Robert Woods, Dez Fitzpatrick, Mason Kinsey

WR: Nick Westbrooke-Ikhine, Cody Hollister

TE: Austin Hooper, Geoff Swaim, Tommy Hudson, Ryan izzo, Austin Fort, Briley Moore

LT: Taylor Lewan, Christian DiLauro, Derwin Gray

LG: Aaron Brewer, Jamarco Jones

C: Ben Jones, Daniel Munyer

RG: Nate Davis, Jordan Roos

RT: Dillon Radunz, Brandon Kemp

---

Burks' route running is still a work in progress and he must still become a more consistent blocker in the run game in order to become an every-situation player in the NFL.

That said, the nose for the end zone he displayed while catching 18 touchdowns over his final two college seasons can't be overlooked, and his ability to beat one-on-one coverage on the perimeter will make him a major weapon in the red zone and on third down.

Bleacher Report's Nate Tice wrote in his predraft scouting report that Burks is a high-upside prospect with room for improvement:

Burks flashes body control and the ability to win on vertical and straight-line routes but is inconsistent on his shorter route breaks. He also lacks attention to details on plays where he isn't highlighted, often listlessly running his route or giving inconsistent effort blocking knowing that the ball isn't coming his way. Overall, Burks is a raw talent who has the potential to be a No. 1-type option at the NFL level, but he is far from a finished product. He will need to improve his effort to make the most of his ability, which makes his floor to be an every-down contributor a bit lower when he starts his professional career.

So, while the 22-year-old Arkansas native arrives with plenty of hype, it could take him a couple of years before he starts producing at his peak level.

It's a worthwhile investment for the Titans, who didn't waste any time to line up a succession plan for the outgoing Brown. His role should steadily increase throughout his debut campaign as he builds a rapport with quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

The long-term question is whether he'll ever become a top-end No. 1 receiver in Tennessee.

Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel doesn't intend to lose A.J. Brown as long as the star wide receiver is under contract with the team.

Vrabel told Rich Eisen that Brown won't be on the trade block "as long as I'm the head coach."

Brown is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he's poised to hit free agency at a time when wide receivers are cashing out in a big way.

Stefon Diggs just signed a four-year, $104 million extension with the Buffalo Bills that illustrates the extent to which Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill benefited their fellow wideouts. A rising tide lifts all boats, and that's exactly what's happening after Adams (five years, $140 million) and Hill (four years, $120 million) signed record-setting deals.

Brown has caught 185 passes for 2,995 yards and 24 touchdowns through three seasons. The 24-year-old isn't going to surpass Adams or Hill, but the cost for Tennessee to re-sign him will be more expensive now than it was last spring.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported the Kansas City Chiefs "balked" at Hill's request to earn a higher salary than Adams, which precipitated his trade to the Miami Dolphins. That might increasingly become the tactic for teams that have reservations about paying market value for a proven pass-catcher.

But Vrabel's comments follow a report from ESPN's Dianna Russini that the Titans aren't shopping Brown or even entertaining trade calls. It looks like Brown will remain in Tennessee for at least the upcoming season.

Longtime NFL assistant coach Ray Horton used comments made by former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Mularkey on a podcast as evidence the organization's interview with him during its 2016 hiring search was a sham.

ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg reported Thursday that Horton, along with former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks, joined Pittsburgh Steelers linebackers coach Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL and its teams alleging racial discrimination in the league's hiring and firing practices.

Horton released a statement to ESPN through his lawyers that said he was "devastated and humiliated" after hearing Mularkey's comments.

In September 2020, Mularkey explained on the Steelers Realm podcast the Titans informed him he'd be hired before starting a "fake hiring process" and he apologized for not coming forward with the information, per Van Valkenburg:

I've always prided myself on doing the right thing in this business and I can't say that's true about everybody in this business. It's a very cutthroat business and a lot of guys will tell you that. ... I allowed myself at one point when I was in Tennessee to get caught up in something I regret it and I still regret it. But the ownership there, Amy Adams Strunk and her family, came in and told me I was going be the head coach in 2016 before they went through the Rooney Rule. And so, I sat there knowing I was the head coach in '16 as they went through this fake hiring process. Knowing a lot of the coaches they were interviewing, knowing how much they prepared to go through those interviews, knowing that everything they could do and they had no chance of getting that job. Actually, the GM, Jon Robinson, he was in on the interview with me. He had no idea why he was interviewing me—that I had the job already. I regret. I'm sorry I did that. It was not the way to go about it.

Mularkey, who'd served as the Titans' interim head coach at the end of the 2015 season, spent two years as Tennessee's full-time head coach before parting ways with the organization.

He provided Van Valkenburg with a statement as his comments garnered newfound attention: "I believe you have the truth and what you need. Prefer not to comment any further."

The Titans later issued a statement denying the allegations made by Mularkey, via Turron Davenport of ESPN:

Statement from the #Titans regarding Mike Mularkey, Ray Horton and their HC search on 2016. pic.twitter.com/IeGWST4l7E

— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) April 7, 2022

NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league was never made aware of Mularkey's comments when they were originally made two years ago.

"I've done a lot of internal research and it never reached the NFL," McCarthy told ESPN. "We were not aware of this as an issue."

Horton, who spent the 2014 and 2015 seasons as the Titans' defensive coordinator, left to fill the same role with the Cleveland Browns in 2016.

The 61-year-old former NFL cornerback most recently served as the Washington Commanders' defensive backs coach in 2019.

Flores' lawsuit, which was amended to include the other coaches' allegations, seeks "increased transparency in NFL hiring, incentives for hiring Black coaches and increased visibility for Black assistant coaches," per ESPN.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in February they are reviewing policies and bringing in outside voices to help "make sure we are an inclusive league" in wake of the lawsuit.