Tennessee Titans take interim tag off coach Mike Mularkey

The Tennessee Titans removed the interim tag from Mike Mularkey on Saturday and named him the team's 18th head coach in franchise history.

Mularkey guided Tennessee to a 2-7 record over the final nine games after Tennessee fired Ken Whisenhunt.

Mularkey, 54, has a 18-39 record in three-plus seasons as an NFL head coach. He went 14-18 with the Buffalo Bills in 2004-05 and 2-14 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012.

The Titans were 3-13 overall in 2015 and have missed the playoffs in seven consecutive seasons.

Mularkey is looking for improved results now that he's been given the permanent gig.

"I will give all that I have to make this team successful and our city and fans proud," Mularkey said in a statement. "The last two months of the season were extremely valuable in order to understand our personnel and instill some of our values and standard of play, so we won't be starting from scratch.

"With that as a basis, we will now be installing some new systems and bringing in new coaches and players to build on what we have started. There is plenty of work to be done until we reach our goal, but we will all work tirelessly to get us there."

Tennessee features young quarterback Marcus Mariota, and retaining Mularkey keeps the offensive system in place. Mariota passed for 2,818 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as a rookie.

The Titans also were impressed with the way Mularkey handled his situation while being in limbo.

"The vision Mike presented for our football team during this search as well as the character, integrity, and leadership skills he displayed during the last two months of the season makes him the right coach for the Tennessee Titans," Amy Adams Strunk, controlling owner and co-chairman of the board of directors of the Titans, said in a statement.

"Mike is a quality coach and an outstanding person who will help us build this team the right way. He has experience as a head coach and a track record for developing young quarterbacks and dynamic offenses, and he also brings continuity for our franchise quarterback. We understand this may take time as we rebuild the roster and bring in new coaches for Mike's staff, but we believe he has the experience and expertise to build a consistent winner."

Mularkey has 21 years of NFL coaching experience. He also was an NFL tight end during a playing career that lasted nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers.