What former Titans GM Jon Robinson said about AJ Brown trade regret, first-round failures, getting fired

Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson watches his players during practice at Saint Thomas Sports Park Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. Nas Titans Ota 014

Former Tennessee Titans general manager Jon Robinson spoke on the radio for his first local interview since being fired by the team in December 2022.

Robinson, who was the Titans' GM from 2016-22, spoke on the "Chase and Big Joe Show" on 102.5 The Game on July 31 covering several topics, including the AJ Brown trade during the 2022 NFL Draft, his final days as the Titans' GM and more.

Here are the key points Robinson spoke on during the interview.

What Jon Robinson said about AJ Brown trade in 2022 NFL Draft

Star reciever AJ Brown was traded by the Titans to the Eagles during the 2022 NFL Draft for the 18th overall pick. The Titans used that pick to draft Treylon Burks, and a third-round pick that turned into another trade with the New York Jets for Roger McCreary, Nicholas Petit-Frere and Kyle Phillips.

Brown was gearing up for contract discussions with the Titans. After the trade to the Eagles, he signed a four-year, $100 million extension.

"There was a lot of discussion that went into that decision," Robinson said. "Ultimately, it was my responsibility to make the decision. If had (a) mulligan, I would probably (take it). AJ went on to have a great run, I'm proud of him, I'm proud of where he's at and what he's been able to accomplish. If I had a do-over, I'd be an idiot to sit here and say, 'No, I'd do it again,' no, you'd do it different. But we made the decision that we made and the rest is what it is."

Robinson was asked if then-coach Mike Vrabel knew about the trade, and Robinson said, "Collectively, we made the decison that we made. That's a group decision."

Jon Robinson on Treylon Burks

The Titans waived wide receiver Burks on July 28 following a collarbone injury in training camp.

Burks was the Titans' first-round draft pick in 2022 and had some bright moments but was injured often in his three seasons with the Titans.

"It's a violent sport, and unfortuantely, he has battled that since he walked through the door," Robinson said. "You can't control injuries. There are two things in professional football you cannot control that absolutely suck, losing and getting hurt. ... It's unfortunate for Treylon because he's a great guy, he works extremely hard. ... I texted him the other day after he got let go and said, 'Hey, I still believe in you. God's got you, keep grinding.'"

Jon Robinson on Caleb Farley, Isaiah Wilson

Cornerback Caleb Farley and offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson struggled in the NFL in short careers with the Titans and are notable first-round failures under Robinson's watch as GM.

Robinson said the evaluation on Wilson was limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the process was shut down in mid-March before that year's NFL Draft. "It's not an excuse because at the end of the day it's my job to pick the right guy," Robinson said.

"Likening it to a tee-ball game, I don't know if I even hit the tee," Robinson said. "Sometimes, the kids are swinging at the tee, and then the ball falls down, I don't even think I hit the tee on that one."

Farley also had with several injuries, including a knee injury and a back injury. Then a personal tragedy hit as his home in North Carolina exploded in 2023, killing his father, Robert Farley.

"When you're a player (or coach) in the NFL, it's not like it's 'Madden' and those guys are just figures on a screen," Robinson said. "They have lives, too. So the injury stuff and I can't even imagine dealing with losing your dad like that, it has an affect on you mentally. ... We thought we had this supreme talent that had slipped some, and we were going to be able to get what was projected at one time to be a top-10 player. ... Sometimes, it works with those guys, sometimes it doesn't. Unfortunately, in Caleb's situation with us when I was with the Titans, it didn't."

Jon Robinson on getting fired by Tennessee Titans

Robinson said he did not know he was going to get fired by the Titans on Dec. 6, 2022. The Titans had just gotten blown out by the Eagles and Brown, 35-10. Brown caught eight passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Robinson said he understood team owner Amy Adams Strunk had a tough decision to make but respected it.

"It was a bold decision, and she made it," Robinson said. "The decision was made, I was in my office, I had the talk, said my goodbyes to certain people and then I went home. ... I'm extremely grateful and proud of everything that she did for me and my family and my time here, we had a great relationship."

Robinson added he vaguely remembered what he did the day he was fired. He added that he was in a brain fog for most of that day.

"I don't really remember what I did, probably watched the 'Today Show' or news or something," Robinson said. "I try to put myself in the players' shoes. They've practiced and gone through all the stuff, then you tell them you can't play for this team anymore, it's like, all right then what's next? The first thing I wanted to do was recenter myself with my family."

Jon Robinson's two favorite games as Titans' GM

The two Titans games that stand out in Robinson's mind occurred in back-to-back weeks.

The first was the 2020 AFC Wild Card game at New England, where Robinson started his NFL executive career, when the Titans went into Gilltette Stadium and earned a 20-13 win over the New England Patriots. The Titans had brought in cornerback Logan Ryan, who also started his career with the Patriots, and Ryan had the game-sealing interception of Tom Brady.

"Logan was a great player for us in Tennessee," Robinson said. "For him to kind of end the reign of '12' (Brady) there in New England with that (interception) was probably the most special."

The other was the AFC Divsional game the following week at Baltimore. The Ravens were expected to dominate but the Titans won 28-12 with Derrick Henry rushing for 195 yards and throwing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis in the third quarter.

"It was loud (in Baltimore)," Robinson recalled. "For us to do it the way we did it and pull that one off was really cool."

What's next for Jon Robinson?

Robinson said he helps advise football players and coaches.

He said he interviewed with the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 hiring cycle and is still open to being a general manager.

Robinson added he thinks he could dabble in the media world by joining a television network or creating his own podcast.

"We'll see where it goes, I'm appreciative that I'm still around the game," Robinson said. "Game's been a part of my life for a long time, and to still be around that (in) an evaluation piece and the giving back piece with the advisory stuff for coaches and players, then some storytelling on the podcast. That would be pretty cool."

Follow sports writer Austin Chastain on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ or reach him via email at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What former Titans GM Jon Robinson said about AJ Brown trade regret, first-round failures, getting fired