If Mike Mularkey is getting an extension without altering his staff, the fan disconnect returns in full force

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Titans franchise endured an odd disconnect with much of its fan base in 2017.

Even when they were 8-4 and looked to be in great shape through three-quarters of the season, plenty of followers were discouraged by an offensive system they heartily believed was limiting rather than enhancing Marcus Mariota.MularkeyJags 1

The team’s decision to stay in the locker room for the national anthem in Week 3 after President Trump's derogatory comments about NFL players was a factor too, along with Rishard Matthews skipping the anthem from that point forward as a protest of the president's comments and Delanie Walker’s decree that if fans didn’t want to come they could stay away.

But the Titans rallied to make the playoffs with a Week 17 win, then pulled off an upset in Kansas City.

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Paul Kuharsky has covered the Tennessee Titans since 1996, first for The Tennessean, then ESPN.com and now independently at paulkuharsky.com. He is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame selection committee and one of the longest-tenured Titans beat reporters in the franchise's history.