When Mike Vrabel arrived in Tennessee in 2018, the Titans quickly looked like a franchise on the rise. Under his leadership, the team captured consecutive AFC South titles, reached the playoffs three times, and made a run to the AFC Championship Game. But the success eventually gave way to frustration. The team slipped to a 7-10 record in 2022, and reports soon surfaced about growing disagreements between Vrabel and owner Amy Adams Strunk over roster control. After another disappointing season ended with a 6-11 finish in 2023, the organization decided to move on from Vrabel in January 2024, setting off a sweeping overhaul across the franchise.

In the aftermath of his exit, much of Vrabel’s assistant staff was let go, several front-office figures were shown the door, and the franchise committed to a complete reset. Now, two years later, the last remaining staffer to have survived that purge has been axed.

“Titans Director of Football Research and Development Sarah Bailey is out, per source,” ESPN’s Seth Walder reported on X on May 12. “The Titans hired Bailey from the Rams in 2023. Tennessee recently promoted Bryce Wasserman to Football Counsel/Head of Football Research.”

During a period many fans now look back on as a ‘dark era’ for the Tennessee Titans, Bailey’s department remained heavily involved behind the scenes, supporting both the coaching staff and the scouting operation. She led the team’s analytics division and played a major role in helping the organization make better use of data.

Before arriving in Tennessee, Bailey spent more than five years with the Los Angeles Rams, where her work extended into personnel, coaching, and medical-related decisions. When she first joined the Titans, the franchise had just one employee dedicated to analytics. But why was she fired?

The Titans have not publicly explained the decision, but Bailey was originally brought in as part of an effort to modernize the franchise and expand its analytics department. At the time, the organization was trying to move away from its reputation as an old-school operation, especially since former general manager Jon Robinson had rarely leaned into front-office analytics during his tenure. Still, after difficult seasons in both 2024 and 2025, the front office may have felt more changes were necessary.

In fact, since 2022, change has become the constant in Tennessee. It started with GM Jon Robinson during the Titans’ 2022 collapse. Then Mike Vrabel departed after the 2023 season. Ran Carthon, who was Robinson’s replacement, lasted only two seasons before the Titans dismissed him in January last year. Finally, after the Titans opened the 2025 season with a 1-5 record, head coach Brian Callahan lost his job, too.

Interestingly, Bailey’s departure comes on the heels of Chad Brinker stepping down as Titans’ President of Football Operations in April. In 2023, the Titans originally hired Brinker as assistant general manager under Carthon. After Vrabel’s exit, they promoted Brinker because of his background in analytics and salary-cap management.

The organization repeatedly emphasized how Brinker helped Carthon, and then Mike Borgonzi, focus narrowly on roster building. In both 2024 and 2025, Brinker reportedly held final authority over the Titans’ personnel decisions before Strunk handed that power to Borgonzi earlier this year. Reports suggest Brinker grew frustrated with the reduced responsibilities and preferred returning to scouting, so he resigned last month.

But now, if the Titans do not replace Brinker in a meaningful way, was the structure really part of the Titans’ long-term philosophy? Or did the team simply create it to compensate for Carthon’s weaknesses? Either way, Brinker and Bailey’s exits now close the book on the administrative model tied to the Mike Vrabel era. And Bailey’s firing does not feel random. It looks like the organization’s final step toward establishing a completely new vision under their new head coach, Robert Saleh.

The Titans have also announced a front office overhaul

As the offseason enters its final stretch, the Titans unveiled their updated organizational structure under Robert Saleh. Tennessee announced one outside hire along with 17 internal promotions across the football staff. The lone new addition was that of Area Scout Shepley Heard, who brings more than two decades of front-office experience. He worked in several scouting roles with the Atlanta Falcons before their recent front-office shakeup.

Here is a list of the other changes in the Titans’ staff, which were all internal promotions:

• Alex Kline – Pro Scout
• Bryce Wasserman – Football Counsel/Head of Football Research
• Cam Baker – Associate Athletic Trainer
• Clay Taylor – Associate Athletic Trainer
• Geo Leins – Area Scout
• Kaylee Connors – Manager, Football Communications
• Kevin Perez – Executive Assistant to the General Manager
• Kieran Gilbert – Coordinator, Team Operations
• Kristen Van Iderstine – Coordinator, Player Personnel
• Lauren Antle – Performance Dietitian
• Lauren Silvio – Director, Performance Nutrition
• Mike Boni – Director, College Scouting
• Nick Hardesty – Director, Team Operations
• Nicole Kesten – Chief of Staff, Football
• Patrick Woo – Manager, College/Pro Scouting
• Travis McDaniel – Coordinator, Football Communications
• Wes Slay – National Scout

The Titans did not provide additional details beyond the new titles of these staff members, but one move stands out. Bryce Wasserman shifted from chief of staff in football administration to Sarah Bailey’s position. That means he will not replace Brinker as President of Football Operations or even in a reduced version of that position.

Whether the Titans continue separating analytics and other non-personnel duties under another executive, or if Borgonzi will control everything directly, remains to be seen.