The Titans finally ended Brian Callahan’s tenure as head coach last Monday after less than two years on the job. Callahan’s regime was littered with mistakes and a barren roster void of talent, so he did not stand much of a chance. Who are the candidates to replace him as the next Titans head coach on this hot board? Will anyone take the job after all the turmoil?
Tennessee Titans Head Coach Hot Board – The Sweet 16
(Note: this list is in alphabetical order, not in order of perceived favorites)
Favorites
1. Joe Brady | Offensive Coordinator | Buffalo Bills
Brady is renowned for his work with the historic 2019 LSU Tigers offense that featured Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, among others. Burrow won the Heisman under Brady’s watch. His initial foray into the NFL began with the Saints under Sean Payton as an offensive assistant. Brady’s second NFL stint began ominously with the Panthers in 2019. The Bills then hired him as their quarterbacks coach for the 2022 season, during which he served under then-OC Ken Dorsey. Brady assumed the role of OC in Buffalo during 2023 and has remained in that role since, piloting Buffalo’s offense to an MVP award for Josh Allen. However, there are questions about whether Allen is driving the Bills’ success or Brady is improving Allen.
2. Mike McCarthy | Former Head Coach
The Super Bowl-winning head coach could be on the move again after taking a sabbatical in 2025, following being released from the Dallas Cowboys. McCarthy gets a bum rap as the head coach of two of the most prominent franchises in league history. He’s a solid winner with a proven baseline for consistent winning, albeit not on the biggest stages. Tennessee needs any kind of winner at this point in their rebuild from a rebuild. He shares a history with Titans Director of Football Operations Chad Brinker, who came from the Packers. There’s also a shared organizational history in Kansas City with GM Mike Borgonzi and Andy Reid. The Titans would be a nice bounce-back franchise for him to lead into relevancy after the pressure cooker of Dallas. While not the sexiest name on the market, McCarthy would bring stability.
3. Jesse Minter | Defensive Coordinator | Los Angeles Chargers
Minter is arguably the hottest name on the market after his rapid turnaround of the flailing Chargers defense. The former national champion defensive coordinator at Michigan kept the good times rolling in Ann Arbor under Jim Harbaugh. He first made his mark on the NFL scene with John Harbaugh and the Ravens before switching sides within the brothers’ staffs. The Chargers’ defensive coordinator spent a brief time in Nashville as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Vanderbilt. There is an issue with a limited rolodex of assistants he could call on to fill out a potential staff, given his short NFL tenure. If he can prove that he’s capable of going beyond his limited connections, he could be a home run hire for the Titans.
4. Todd Monken | Offensive Coordinator | Baltimore Ravens
Monken’s breadth of coaching experience is breathtaking, from the vestiges of Oklahoma State’s Air Raid to Georgia’s pro-style offense. He’s currently leading the offense and developing Baltimore’s superstar Lamar Jackson into a better passer. The Ravens’ offensive coordinator’s previous head coaching experience came at Southern Miss, briefly reviving the moribund program before joining Tampa Bay in 2016. He’s a two-time national champion with Georgia. Tennessee could be a great fit for him as the guy who could revitalize the Titans’ offensive attack and develop Cam Ward. Monken should get a few looks on the coaching carousel in the offseason again.
5. Matt Nagy | Offensive Coordinator | Kansas City Chiefs
Nagy began his NFL coaching career with the Eagles under Andy Reid in 2008 as a coaching intern. He steadily rose through the ranks to become a QC coach in 2011 before moving to Kansas City alongside Reid. His stock as a coach exploded in America’s BBQ capital, reaching the title of OC in 2017. Nagy became head coach with the Bears in 2018, winning the NFC North in his debut season. However, the Bears steadily regressed under his watch, and he was ultimately fired in 2022. He relied on old KC and Philly connections for his coaching staff in Chicago, with mixed results. Nagy returned “home” shortly after being relieved of his duties in the Windy City. He was named the offensive coordinator in 2023, where he is now.
The Chiefs’ offense has undergone major renovations under Nagy and Patrick Mahomes’ watch. However, they’re still a work in progress, fitting the pieces together amid injuries and suspensions. When fully operational, they can be one of the league’s most explosive and creative offenses. Nagy has prior head coaching experience and a connection to Mike Borgonzi in his favor. Tennessee could give him a call to mentor Cam Ward into becoming a better version of himself.
6. Steve Spagunolo | Defensive Coordinator | Kansas City Chiefs
“Spags” has been in the league consistently since the 1999 season with the Eagles under Andy Reid. The four-time Super Bowl champion burst onto the NFL scene in 2007 as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. His head coaching experience came with the then St. Louis Rams for three seasons. After stops in New Orleans, Baltimore, and the Giants again, he found a home in KC, once again under Reid in 2019. While he might not itch for a head coaching job again, his name keeps popping up in coaching searches. Spagunolo is one of Reid’s most trusted lieutenants and crossed over with GM Mike Borgonzi for many seasons. He would bolster the Titans’ anemic pass rush at minimum, and it would be interesting to see who he brings in as OC.
Contenders
7. Brian Flores | Defensive Coordinator | Minnesota Vikings
Flores is a defensive mastermind who cut his teeth with the dynastic Patriots under Bill Belichick’s tutelage. The Minnesota DC has molded the Vikings’ defense into one of the best in the league. His tenure as Miami’s head coach left some things to be desired, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. However, his thoughts on embattled quarterback Tua Tagovailoa proved to be prophetic. He’s an old-school coach who brings intensity and tough love to the mix, and Tennessee needs some of that. If Flores can mesh with Cam Ward and find a competent offensive coordinator, he’s a great fit for the Titans. Flores is currently involved in a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging that the league is using discriminatory hiring practices.
8. Vance Joseph | Defensive Coordinator | Denver Broncos
The former Broncos head coach played college football for Colorado before embarking on a brief playing career in the NFL. He then returned home to begin coaching for the Buffaloes in 2001. After a brief pit stop in Bowling Green as a defensive backs coach, the 49ers gave him his first NFL shot in 2005. Joseph then became a renowned defensive backs specialist, mentoring numerous Pro Bowl secondaries and reaching statistical highs. Interestingly, fate has tied him to the Kubiak and Phillips family throughout his career. His head coaching tenure was marred by offensive issues that let down the defense. Arizona then hired him in 2019 as DC alongside another candidate on this list below.
A triumphant return to the franchise that employed him as head coach awaited Joseph in 2023. Denver’s defense dominated the Titans in week one of the 2025 season and continued its good run of form. There is no debating his defensive chops, but he needs to marry his defense to a good offensive staff. However, there are off-field allegations that did NOT result in charges in his past. Multiple teams have investigated the matter and deemed Joseph to be a worthy hire. Tennessee must do its homework, given the seriousness of the past allegations.
9. Mike Kafka | Offensive Coordinator | New York Giants
Kafka possesses ties to GM Mike Borgonzi and the franchise since he spent time with the Titans in 2015, so it will be a sort of homecoming for him. He crossed over with Borgonzi for several seasons in Kansas City. The former quarterback, who played collegiately at Northwestern, is well-regarded in the industry. Giants head coach Brian Daboll hired him to his staff as offensive coordinator in 2022. Kafka’s offense has flitted between good and not so good in years past, so it is unknown how he will perform in the big chair. He does have play-calling experience, but was stripped of the duty before getting it restored this year. How Jaxson Dart finishes the season will determine a lot about Kafka’s prospects. The Chiefs tie-in to Borgonzi carries his name onto the list.
10. Klint Kubiak | Offensive Coordinator | Seattle Seahawks
Kubiak’s father, Gary, was a longtime NFL assistant and head coach before leaving America altogether in 2022 to advise an ELF team. Klint started his coaching career at Texas A&M in 2010 and got his NFL shot in 2013 with the Vikings. A receivers coach by trade, he worked his way up under his father or his acolytes for the majority of his career. The younger Kubiak worked for his father during the 2016 season with the Broncos as quarterbacks coach/offensive assistant. Hen then served on Mike Zimmer’s staff in Minnesota for three seasons and replaced his father as OC in 2021. It’s been a journey through the league as he returned to Denver, left for San Francisco, New Orleans, and now, Seattle, in the past three seasons.
He’s married to the Shanahan tree that made countless coaches famous, including his own father and Sean McVay, who has sprouted his own bra it. Sam Darnold has continued to impress in Seattle under his guidance in 2025. Tennessee likely won’t give him a look at the job during this cycle, but a McVay/Shanahan assistant is continually en vogue. His work plus lineage could speak for him if the Titans wanted to go in his direction.
11. Arthur Smith | Offensive Coordinator | Pittsburgh Steelers
The prodigal son could return after several seasons away from the franchise. Smith previously served as Tennessee’s offensive coordinator before taking the Falcons’ HC job in 2021. Atlanta relieved him of his duties in 2023. The Steelers hired Smith in his current capacity for the 2024 season, where he is now. Smith’s tenure in Tennessee was the franchise’s high-water mark in the 21st century. He revived Ryan Tannehill’s career while working his way up the ladder. Derrick Henry became the Derrick Henry that we know under his watch. However, his Atlanta career was marred by usage issues, despite a cavalcade of young talent such as Bijan Robinson, Kyle Pitts, and Drake London. The usage issues have continued into the Steel City, flabbergasting many in and out of the organization. However, Smith’s previous success and coaching experience should merit at least a cursory phone call from Tennessee.
Wild Cards
12. Marcus Freeman | Head Coach | Notre Dame
Freeman is the truest wild card of any coaching carousel. He isn’t leaving a job at one of the most premier college football programs unless something is catastrophically wrong. However, it won’t stop teams from calling to see if he will. Tennessee could check in to see if it can pry him loose from South Bend if Notre Dame doesn’t have the season it expected to.
13. Josh Grizzard | Offensive Coordinator | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2025’s coaching carousel is expected to include one of the league’s fastest-rising names. Grizzard graduated from Yale in 2011 and began his coaching career at Duke in 2013. He joined the NFL ranks in 2017 with the Miami Dolphins, eventually earning the title of receivers coach. The Buccaneers hired him as a pass game coordinator in 2024 before his elevation to offensive coordinator in 2025. Grizzard is an emerging candidate piloting a remade Buccaneers offense, but is probably too young for a head coaching role in this cycle. He’s a name to monitor for the future, though.
14. Jeff Hafley | Defensive Coordinator | Green Bay Packers
Hafley brings extensive coaching experience on the defensive side of the ball throughout his career. His first FBS job was with Pitt for four seasons as defensive backs coach. He then joined Greg Schiano’s staff at Rutgers in the same capacity. The current Packers defensive coordinator first came to the NFL with Tampa Bay during the ill-fated Schiano regime in 2012-13. Not to be outdone in serving on failing coaching staffs, he journeyed to Cleveland and San Francisco for four seasons (2014-2018). After one year on Ohio State’s staff as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach, Boston College hired him as head coach for three seasons. Due to the increasing craziness that is college football, he leapt at the opportunity to return to the NFL in 2024.
Green Bay’s defense improved significantly under Hafley from seasons past. President of Football Ops Chad Brinker didn’t cross over with Hafley, but they share a history in Titletown. Hafley’s NFL experience is loaded with talented players, including integrating one talented pass rusher into this year’s Packers defense. Head coach Matt LaFleur served as OC in Tennessee under Mike Vrabel, so he can tell Hafley all about Nashville. The Titans, in need of a defensive overhaul, need to interview him. It’s entirely possible that he could bring another assistant familiar with Tennessee, OC Adam Stenavich, to coach that side of the ball.
15. Kliff Kingsbury | Offensive Coordinator | Washington Commanders
The former Cardinals head coach experienced a career renaissance in Washington, guiding emerging star and Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels. Kingsbury was a record-setting college quarterback under the tutelage of Mike Leach before becoming a coach himself. He’s led high-powered offenses throughout his career, starting at Houston before moving on to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. After serving as OC for A&M, he traveled west to Lubbock to helm an offense led by one Patrick Mahomes in 2013. Kingsbury served as the Cardinals’ head coach for four seasons, coaching another Heisman winner, Kyler Murray.
He would be a good fit offensively for Titans rookie Cam Ward, who was a Heisman finalist and operator of the Air Raid that Kingsbury so loves. However, he must be paired with an outstanding defensive mind to offset some concerns on that side of the ball. His tenure in Arizona was pocked by quarterback injury and inconsistency, so he must answer those questions. Tennessee would do well to give him at least an interview for the job, given his proclivity to produce high-octane offenses.
16. Wes Phillips | Offensive Coordinator | Minnesota Vikings
Phillips is a name to watch in the coaching industry, having served as Minnesota’s offensive coordinator under head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings’ OC possesses an incredible connection to the Titans’ organization as he is the grandson of former Oilers head coach Bum Phillips. He started his career with the Dallas Cowboys in 2007 and steadily rose through the ranks to his current position. His coaching background is in tight ends, but he got his FBS start coaching quarterbacks at Baylor in 2006. Among the notable tight ends he coached are Jason Witten, Jordan Reed, and Vernon Davis. Before he arrived in Minnesota, Phillips served under Sean McVay as TE coach and PGC.
He assisted in developing Sam Darnold and in leading the potent Vikings offense, which features Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison. Phillips is a rising candidate, but with Tennessee firing a coach who didn’t call plays before his stint in Nashville, it’s hard to see them going down that route again. Depending on the hire, Phillips could be an intriguing playcalling OC, given his credentials and family history.
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