NASHVILLE — When the Tennessee Titans (7-5) fired general manager Jon Robinson on Tuesday, multiple theories as to the move's timing became a part of the discussion. Why remove a key member of the team's brass in Week 14 of a division-leading season?

Did Tennessee's ownership group make the decision on its own, or were there other factors at play?

All reasonable questions to ask, given how much behind-the-scenes politicking these situations can breed. Coach Mike Vrabel's influence in the matter is one of those questions worth asking. Relieving Robinson of his duties, regardless of timing, is an acknowledgement of roster failure over coaching.

Speculation on one party working behind the other's back, in this case, is inaccurate and unfair.

Vrabel did not actively lobby for Robinson's firing

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter gave voice to this on Tuesday afternoon.

"This is a situation where the owner was not particularly happy with Jon Robinson, and she decided to make a change this morning," said Schefter in an appearance on NFL Live. "So, she fired Jon Robinson a year after she gave him a long-term contract extension. He's got four years after this year on his contract.

"Now, a lot of people around the league have called up and asked all day long wondering if there's something more to this, if something happened. I've been told that that is not the case. That this is a simple decision of the owner wanting to go in a different direction."

AtoZ Sports is able to confirm this report.

According to sources, Robinson's compounding mistakes had been wearing on Tennessee's ownership for some time. While Vrabel and Robinson have had disagreements on personnel decisions, no public or private undermining of the former general manager by the coach is said to have occurred. Robinson and Vrabel had a healthy working relationship during their time together.

Even as recently as Tennessee's Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles (11-1), Vrabel dismissed criticisms of Robinson's most egregious personnel errors: trading away wide receiver A.J. Brown.

"It's not about A.J.," Vrabel said postgame. "A.J. had a good game. We can't give up big plays on defense. We tried to make him earn it coming into the game, and we clearly weren't able to."

Vrabel has remained steadfast all season long on the idea of not wanting to rely solely on player's talent and failures coming down to a lack of execution by coaching and personnel when the Titans fall short. It is clear that Tennessee controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk felt differently.

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.