NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- There's no longer any doubt that general manager Jon Robinson is in charge of the Tennessee Titans, made clear by his latest big transaction.

Insert whichever adjective you want -- bold, risky, fearless -- but parting ways with coach Mike Mularkey after he took the Titans to their first playoff berth in nine years and first playoff win in 14 years is a franchise-defining move.

Over the next few years, we'll look back at this move as either the golden moment when the Titans ignited their march toward the franchise's first Super Bowl, or a mistake that ruined the most progress this organization has made since Eddie George's playing days.

The success or failure of the Titans now falls firmly on the shoulders of Robinson, the soon-to-be 42-year-old from Union City, Tennessee, who is going all-in on winning big.

It seems he's ready for everything that comes with that pressure. The Titans' fan base also seems to trust Robinson to make the right decisions to achieve all of the franchise's goals. In Jon Robinson they trust.

"There's nothing more that I want for our fans than to bring a championship here," Robinson said. "I feel like it's my charge to put the team in the best position to do that."

Robinson has full control of the ship to "charge" the Titans toward a championship. Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk hired Mularkey without much help from Robinson and now the GM will get to hire his guy for the first time. That can't be understated. It seemed inevitable that Robinson would want his own guy, but the new candidate won't have much of an adjustment period.

The Titans' new head coach will be tasked with taking this team beyond the divisional playoff round in year one in order to have the 2018 Titans be considered a success. In a sense, the new coach will be starting on the eighth step of a 10-step ladder. There's far more room to fall than climb. That's dangerous and enticing at the same time.

By letting go of Mularkey, it's clear Robinson believes the Titans are a coach and an offseason away from being championship contenders.

"We’ve got a really good football team. I think we’ve got a good roster, we’ve got a good makeup of players," Robinson said. "The personalities in that locker room, I think they really love each other and they play hard for each other. I think they’re tough and resilient, and I think -- not to put a timetable on it -- but I think that the pieces are in place for us to move forward."

"Moving forward" would mean an AFC championship and/or Super Bowl in year one or year two. The Titans have a strong core of talent that can take them there, and as Robinson repeated six times in his 22-minute news conference Monday, it's essential to "maximize" that.

Robinson has done an excellent job in his first two seasons as general manager making wise trades, pulling off successful signings and not being afraid to think outside the box. He's a smart football mind with a coaching and scouting background. He has earned the trust to make this move.

Strunk approved of the split with Mularkey, whom she was a huge supporter of and who built a strong culture in the Titans locker room, because of the belief that Robinson and whomever he hires as head coach will bring a Super Bowl to Tennessee sooner than later.

But now the pressure is on.

"I think any time you make a decision that affects the team, there's always risk involved," Robinson said. "There was risk with the trades that we made. There was risk with some of the things that we did. In the end, you try to just do what's best for the team moving forward.

"It’s the path of the team and the direction of the team, and the utilization of the players. I think that’s really what we’re looking for."

If Robinson is wrong and the Titans take a step back under a new head coach, as they did going from Mike Munchak to Ken Whisenhunt, then the blame will fall on the GM's shoulders.

But if he's right, Robinson will be a Tennessee legend forever.