Tennessee’s regular-season finale on Sunday played out like it was running back Derrick Henry’s last game in a Titans uniform.

The former Alabama All-American ran onto the field blowing kisses to the cheering spectators at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, rushed for 153 yards and one touchdown as Tennessee kept the Jacksonville Jaguars from going to the playoffs with a 28-20 upset and spoke to the crowd via the public-address system from midfield after the contest.

Henry is headed toward free agency this offseason, but he could be re-signed by the Titans.

As it turned out, though, Sunday’s game was the last with Tennessee for coach Mike Vrabel. The Titans fired Vrabel on Tuesday after his sixth season at the helm.

“Earlier today, I spoke with Mike Vrabel and told him about my decision to make a change at head coach,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement released by the team. “As I told coach Vrabel, this decision was as difficult as any I’ve made as controlling owner. I appreciate Mike’s contributions to the Tennessee Titans both on and off the field. Anyone who has ever met him knows how passionate and genuine he is, and he’s been a strong supporter of the Nashville community. We wish Mike, Jen, and the Vrabel family nothing but the best in the future.

“As the NFL continues to innovate and evolve, I believe the teams best positioned for sustained success will be those who empower an aligned and collaborative team across all football functions. Last year, we began a shift in our approach to football leadership and made several changes to our personnel to advance that plan. As I continued to assess the state of our team, I arrived at the conclusion that the team would also benefit from the fresh approach and perspective of a new coaching staff.

“I believe the Tennessee Titans can and will be a premier National Football League franchise. It’s what our fans deserve, and there will be hard decisions along the way. My decision today is not only a reflection of my disappointment in our past two seasons, but also my recognition that further changes are necessary to fully achieve our vision.

“I will never shy away from acknowledging that I have unapologetically high expectations for the football team and every aspect of the Titans organization. Our vision is not simply to produce more wins than losses, it is to regularly compete for championships. While this season was disappointing, I see early signs of progress taking shape. Last year, we added a promising young quarterback and several other talented players to our roster. With a coaching search, enviable cap space and top-10 draft position, this offseason is as important as any in our history. I’m excited for the weeks and months ahead. We will meet the moment.”

Henry became Tennessee’s starting running back in 2018, Vrabel’s first season, and he ran for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns in 88 regular-season games for the coach.

After a 9-7 start in 2018, Vrabel had the Titans in the playoffs for the next three seasons, including two division-title winners, and Tennessee reached the AFC Championship Game in 2019.

But the Titans lost their final seven games in 2022 to slip to a 7-10 finish, then posted a 6-11 record in 2023.

Vrabel posted a 54-45 record in the regular season and had two victories in five playoff games with Tennessee.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.