Former Titans head coach Mike Mularkey goes scorched earth on ownership
The Tennessee Titans were named in Brian Flores' ongoing class-action lawsuit against the NFL on Thursday. Former Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who joined the lawsuit this week, alleges that he was interviewed by Tennessee for the head coaching job in early 2016 only so the franchise could satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule. Horton alleges […]
The Tennessee Titans were named in Brian Flores' ongoing class-action lawsuit against the NFL on Thursday.
Former Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who joined the lawsuit this week, alleges that he was interviewed by Tennessee for the head coaching job in early 2016 only so the franchise could satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule.
Horton alleges that the Titans had already decided to hire Mike Mularkey before the interview was conducted.
This was seemingly confirmed by former Titans president Steve Underwood in 2016.
From Pro Football Talk:
“Somewhere during that process I think it coalesced for Amy and she had made the decision she already knew Mike [Mularkey],” Underwood said. “She had a comfort level with Mike. But she wanted to reach out and look around to make sure there was not any other viable candidates for her, in terms of our club and where we were going.”
Part of Horton's evidence against the Titans is an audio recording of comments that Mularkey made on a podcast in 2016 where he says he knew he already had the job when he was interviewed.
Here's the audio of Mularkey's comments, where he pretty much blasts the Titans for their approach to the interview process.
Underwood's quote in 2016 and those comments from Mularkey in 2020 are pretty strong pieces of evidence to support Horton's claims against the Titans.
Featured image via George Walker IV / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
