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Mike McCarthy

Steelers To Conduct HC Interview With Mike McCarthy

By | at January 18, 2026 9:56 am

With Mike Tomlin having resigned as the Steelers’ head coach, Pittsburgh could turn to the coach who bested Tomlin in Super Bowl XLV as his replacement. As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports, the Steelers have secured an HC interview with Mike McCarthy (ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report an interview was expected).

McCarthy, 62, is a Pittsburgh native, and he and Steelers GM Omar Khan had a brief overlap in New Orleans in 2000-01. During that time, McCarthy was working as the Saints’ offensive coordinator, and Khan was in the team’s football operations department.

That modicum of familiarity aside, McCarthy does bring plenty of experience to the table. His Super Bowl victory came in his fifth season as the Packers’ HC, and he lasted seven more years in Green Bay beyond that. After a year off in 2019, McCarthy took over for Jason Garrett as the Cowboys’ head coach in 2020. Dallas struggled to a 6-10 mark in McCarthy’s first year, but the team put together three straight 12-win seasons thereafter.

However, those successful regular seasons resulted in just one playoff victory during McCarthy’s Dallas tenure. Following a 7-10 campaign in 2024, the club did not renew his contract.

That has not prevented McCarthy from attracting interest in each of the last two head coaching cycles. He interviewed for the Bears’ and Saints’ posts last year and for the Titans’ and Giants’ vacancies in 2026. While New York has already hired John Harbaugh, the Tennessee job remains open.

The Steelers’ storied history and unparalleled head coaching stability make their HC gig attractive in some respects, though their quarterback situation is one that could give high-end candidates cause for concern. With former McCarthy charge Aaron Rodgers under center, the club clinched the AFC North crown in the waning seconds of the 2025 regular season but was routed by the Texans in the wildcard round of the playoffs. Reports published after Tomlin’s resignation suggested Rodgers would not return to Pittsburgh.

Other reports have indicated that the team would nonetheless be amenable to a new deal for the mercurial passer, and that Rodgers’ teammates would be happy to have him back. Even if that were to happen, Rodgers is now 42, and the Steelers do not have an obvious long-term QB on the roster or a clear means of acquiring one this offseason.

Of course, a McCarthy-Rodgers reunion in the Steel City would be a fascinating development given the combination of success and interpersonal tension they shared in Green Bay (it has been reported that any discord between the two men has dissipated over time). Their QB outlook notwithstanding, veteran NFL reporter and current Cowboys beat Ed Werder says there is nothing McCarthy would like more than to become the head coach of his hometown Steelers, and he even suggests a McCarthy hire could make a Rodgers re-up more likely.

Take a look at our tracker to see how the Steelers’ search, and the searches of other HC-needy teams, are shaping up.

20 comments Pittsburgh Steelers

Dolphins Contact John Harbaugh; Troy Aikman Assisting In HC Search

By | at January 12, 2026 4:17 pm

JANUARY 12: The Dolphins are not seen as a frontrunner for Harbaugh at this time, although Jackson reports further contact between the parties will take place. Whether or not Miami winds up as a finalist remains to be seen, but the team is among Harbaugh’s many suitors as things stands.

JANUARY 10: The Dolphins considered a trade for then-Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in 2019. No deal came together, though, and Harbaugh remained in Baltimore for the long haul. Seven years later, the Dolphins are in the market for a head coach again. With Harbaugh a free agent after the Ravens fired him this week, he’s back on Miami’s radar. The Dolphins contacted Harbaugh and informed him of their interest, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Dolphins became the seventh team to reach out to Harbaugh since he lost his job on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. That means every club without a head coach (excluding Baltimore, of course) has contacted Harbaugh. The Cardinals, Falcons, Browns, Raiders, Giants and Titans are also in the market.

The Giants, Dolphins, Titans and Falcons look like the most realistic fits for Harbaugh, Breer observes, but interest in the 63-year-old extends beyond clubs with head coach openings. Harbaugh has heard from “at least nine other teams,” Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.

Playoff participants such as Buffalo and Green Bay have come up as potential landing spots for Harbaugh. The Packers, however, seem likely to work out a contract extension with Matt LaFleur. That would rule out Harbaugh joining the Pack.

Harbaugh, who will begin interviewing next week, hasn’t booked anything with the Dolphins yet, Jackson reports. Considering the Harbaugh family has a “longtime relationship” with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him wind up as a front-runner for the position. However, a lack of clarity at quarterback could hurt the Dolphins’ cause.

Harbaugh enjoyed remarkable stability under center throughout his 18-year tenure in Baltimore, first with Joe Flacco and then Lamar Jackson. Thanks in large part to an incredible playoff run from Flacco, the Ravens capped off the 2012 season with a Super Bowl victory. The Ravens haven’t won a championship since then, but Jackson has been an elite QB who has twice earned MVP honors since his first full season in 2019.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan will have to figure out how to proceed with Tua Tagovailoa. While Tagovailoa is open to a fresh start, he’s owed a guaranteed $54MM in 2026. Releasing Tagovailoa would cost the Dolphins a record $99.2 in dead money, though designating him a post-June 1 cut would enable to spread that total over two seasons. Still, it would be a less-than-ideal situation for Harbaugh or anyone else who may replace the ousted Mike McDaniel as the Dolphins’ next sideline leader.

Miami’s head coach hiring will come with input from Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who will stay on in an advisory role, Jackson relays. The Dolphins first brought the “Monday Night Football” broadcaster in to assist in a GM search that ended with Sullivan’s hiring. The team appreciated Aikman’s “diligence and effort” during the process, per Jackson. The former Cowboy will now have some say over the HC position, though Sullivan and Ross will lead the way.

In the event the Dolphins don’t hire Harbaugh, Jackson identifies Packers coordinators Jeff Hafley (defense) and Adam Stenavich (offense), former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, ex-Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and Jaguars D-coordinator Anthony Campanile as names to watch. Sullivan, who spent over two decades in Green Bay, has worked with Hafley, Stenavich and McCarthy. Campanile was Miami’s linebackers coach from 2020-23.

8 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Cleveland Browns Las Vegas Raiders Miami Dolphins New York Giants Tennessee Titans

Titans To Interview Mike McCarthy For HC Job

By | at January 8, 2026 5:51 pm

Mike McCarthy is now officially a candidate for two head coaching jobs. After scheduling his interview with the Giants, the former Packers and Cowboys head coach is also set to interview for the Titans vacancy, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The interview is scheduled for next Saturday.

Besides being one of the most experienced head coaching options on the market, McCarthy also has a connection to Titans leadership. Tennessee’s President of Football Operations Chad Brinker worked alongside McCarthy during their decade-plus tenures in Green Bay. Brinker worked his way up from a scouting intern to football administration executive. He left to be the Titans assistant GM in 2023, and he was given full control of the team’s roster in 2024 following Ran Carthon‘s ouster.

Following a 7-10 showing in 2024, McCarthy wasn’t retained as the Cowboys head coach. He still remained in the HC circuit last offseason, interviewing for open positions with the Bears and Saints. He obviously didn’t get either of those two gigs, and he ended up spending the 2025 campaign out of the NFL.

McCarthy made a name for himself as an offensive-minded coach while working with the likes of Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. That would make him a natural fit for the Titans, who are looking to maximize 2025 first-overall pick Cam Ward. In 18 years as a head coach, McCarthy only had five seasons where he finished with a losing record. This would surely be alluring for a Titans organization that hasn’t finished above .500 since the 2021 season.

As mentioned, the Titans aren’t the only team eyeing McCarthy. The coach is set to interview for the open Giants job next week. New York will have the first opportunity to speak to the long-time coach, with that interview scheduled for Tuesday.

McCarthy joins a growing list of candidates for the Titans gig. The current list of definitive and potential targets includes:

More to come…

10 comments Tennessee Titans

2026 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker

By | at January 7, 2026 9:50 pm

The Browns, Cardinals, Falcons and Raiders followed the Giants and Titans in firing head coaches, making those calls between the Week 18 conclusion and Black Monday. The Ravens then moved on from John Harbaugh after 18 seasons; two days later, the Dolphins canned Mike McDaniel. Following a wild-card loss, the Steelers and Mike Tomlin are separating after 19 years. Now, after an overtime divisional-round loss in Denver, Sean McDermott is out in Buffalo.

The 10 HC openings are tied with 1978, 1997, 2006 and 2022 for the most in one year. Here are the candidates connected to all those searches, including the six remaining jobs. If more teams make changes, they will be added to the list.

Updated 1-20-26 (2:34pm CT)

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

11 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New England Patriots New York Giants PFR Originals Pittsburgh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans

Giants Set Up HC Interviews With Mike McCarthy, Kevin Stefanski

By | at January 7, 2026 8:31 am

Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy may land with a third NFC team. The Giants will interview McCarthy for their head coaching position next week, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. Their meeting will take place Tuesday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

After the Ravens fired John Harbaugh on Tuesday, he reportedly vaulted to the top of New York’s wish list. The Giants will need a fallback plan if they’re unable to lure Harbaugh, though, and the 62-year-old McCarthy represents another experienced option with plenty of past success.

Like Harbaugh, McCarthy is a former Super Bowl winner. He helped the Packers to their most recent championship in 2010, his fifth season as their coach. Entering the playoffs as a 10-win wild-card team, the Aaron Rodgers-led Packers ripped off four straight victories en route to a title.

McCarthy lasted seven more years as Green Bay’s head coach after its Super Bowl XLV win over the Steelers. The Packers made the playoffs in five of those seasons, but a 4-7-1 start in 2018 led to McCarthy’s ouster.

After a year off, McCarthy took over for Jason Garrett as the Cowboys’ head coach in 2020. Dallas struggled to a 6-10 mark in McCarthy’s first year, but the team put together three straight 12-win seasons after that. The Cowboys won just one playoff game out of four during that stretch, though, before taking a significant step back in 2024. Quarterback Dak Prescott missed nine games with a severe hamstring injury, which helped lead to a 7-10 finish. Owner Jerry Jones allowed McCarthy’s contract to expire and went on to replace him with Brian Schottenheimer.

With his time in Dallas up, McCarthy interviewed for HC vacancies in Chicago and New Orleans last winter. Neither they nor anyone else hired McCarthy, who didn’t work in 2025. The offensive-minded McCarthy could resurface with the Giants, who would assign him the task of helping develop young quarterback Jaxson Dart. McCarthy would also attempt to build on an impressive 174-112-2 record as a head coach.

As the Giants wait to talk with McCarthy, they’ve already begun discussions with ex-Browns HC Kevin Stefanski. It was reported Monday that he would interview with the Giants. The two sides had dinner on Tuesday night, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Stefanski’s interview will occur on Wednesday, per Schefter.

18 comments New York Giants

Titans’ HC Search Expected To Include Mike McCarthy, Matt Nagy, Robert Saleh

By | at January 2, 2026 5:05 pm

Just under three months after firing head coach Brian Callahan on Oct. 13, the Titans made another significant organizational change Friday. Owner Amy Adams Strunk announced a shift in responsibilities for president of football operations Chad Brinker and general manager Mike Borgonzi. Going forward, Borgonzi will assume full roster control. He’ll also lead the hunt for Callahan’s full-time successor.

The Titans’ Borgonzi-led coaching search will be “wide-ranging and deliberate,” according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and a few defensive coordinators – Jeff Hafley (Packers), Jesse Minter (Chargers), Robert Saleh (49ers) and Chris Shula (Rams) – are expected to interview with the Titans.

Most of the above names have already come up in connection to the Titans’ job since Callahan’s firing. Nagy’s inclusion on the list is especially unsurprising when considering his familiarity with Borgonzi.

As a former Chiefs executive, Borgonzi has several years’ experience working with Nagy. A late-December report identified Nagy as a “serious candidate” for the position. If the Titans hire Nagy, it would give the 47-year-old a second chance at an NFL head coaching gig. Nagy led the Bears to a 34-31 record and two playoff berths from 2018-21. He earned Coach of the Year honors in his first season in Chicago.

There isn’t a more established option in this bunch than McCarthy, who went 174-112-2 in 18 combined seasons between Green Bay and Dallas from 2006-24. McCarthy’s teams went to the playoffs 12 times in that span. His lone Super Bowl victory, which capped off the 2010 campaign, came with an in-his-prime Aaron Rodgers as Green Bay’s quarterback.

If the Titans prioritize experience, McCarthy could have a leg up on the competition. It could also tip the scales in his favor (or Nagy’s) if the Titans prefer an offensive-minded hire. Quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in last spring’s draft, is the most important player in the organization. The onus will be on a new coaching staff to hasten Ward’s development entering his second season in 2026. That’s assuming the Titans don’t promote interim HC Mike McCoy. Considering they’ve gone 2-8 with McCoy at the helm, that seems unlikely to happen.

While Saleh is mostly known for his defensive acumen, he joins McCarthy and Nagy in bringing past head coaching experience to the table. Saleh didn’t mimic McCarthy or Nagy in guiding teams to the playoffs, however. Rather, the Jets went a horrid 20-36 under him in three-plus seasons.

The Jets fired Saleh five games into 2024, but the 46-year-old has revived his stock this season with a San Francisco team that will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC if it beats Seattle on Saturday. Saleh has overseen a respectable defense despite largely going without his two best players, injured pass rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner. Meanwhile, the Jets haven’t shown any progress since firing Saleh. New York started 2-3 before canning him last year. The team has spiraled to a 6-22 mark without him.

Saleh, who finished 2024 as an offensive consultant in Green Bay, landed multiple head coaching interviews last offseason. He spoke with the Cowboys, Jaguars and Raiders, who all passed on him for different candidates. A year later, it appears he’ll have a chance to convince the Titans he’s the right fit.

6 comments Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams San Francisco 49ers Tennessee Titans

Mike McCarthy, Antonio Pierce Among Giants’ HC Candidates

By | at January 2, 2026 11:51 am

The Giants’ head-coaching search informally started immediately after firing Brian Daboll, but recent discussions have created an initial list of candidates to interview, per The Exhibit’s Josina Anderson.

Several coaches are already known to be on the Giants’ radar, including Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman, Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, and Browns HC Kevin Stefanski. Giants interm HC Mike Kafka is also expected to interview with the team after auditioning for the full-time job since Daboll’s removal.

Interview requests will be much stronger indications of the Giants’ interest. Their lengthy list of candidates is primarily focused on former head coaches and current coordinator, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

The formal interview process has technically already begun, as candidates not employed by an NFL team can interview right away. Former Packers and Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and and former Raiders HC Antonio Pierce are on the Giants’ list. Pierce, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, played in New York for five seasons and earned a Pro Bowl nod and a Super Bowl ring in the process. That connection to the franchise – as with Jets HC Aaron Glenn – could give Pierce a leg up in the Giant’s hiring process, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

For coaches currently working for an NFL team, interview requests must wait until the regular season ends. The Giants’ interest seems to be focused on defensive coordinators, as Hafley (Packers), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Chris Shula (Rams), and Jesse Minter (Chargers) are all expected to receive interview requests. Hafley, a New Jersey native, in particular “seems to have some traction in New York,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Any coach for a non-playoff team can be interviewed as soon as Week 18 concludes. If the Broncos secure a first-round bye, Joseph (and any other coaches employed by a team with a bye) can only be virtually interviewed until the end of the wild card round. Coaches without a bye can be interviewed until the end of the divisional round. After the divisional round, teams can begin in-person interviews with coaches for teams eliminated by the playoffs.

Other coaches who have an “outside chance” to be interviewed by the Giants include Texans DC Matt Burke and Panthers DC Ejiro Evero, per Raanan. Current head coaches that are fired at the end of the season, especially Stefanski, could also be considered by the Giants. They could also seek to follow the wave of hiring young offensive coordinators from the Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay coaching tree such as Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown or Jaguars OC Grant Udinski.

11 comments New York Giants

Titans HC Rumors: Nagy, McCarthy, Minter

By | at December 4, 2025 10:41 pm

After finishing with an NFL-worst three wins in 2024, the Titans’ 1-5 start this year was enough to cost Brian Callahan his job. Tennessee became the the first team of the season to fire its head coach when it gave Callahan his walking papers on Oct. 13.

Almost two full months since Callahan’s ouster, the Titans have logged even worse results. They’re 0-6 under interim head coach Mike McCoy, who likely has little to no chance of earning a full-time promotion after the season. That should put president of football operations Chad Brinker and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi in position to find a new sideline leader from outside the organization.

With the hiring cycle still weeks from getting underway, Brinker and Borgonzi probably won’t make their pick until sometime in January. If they prioritize hiring an experienced candidate, Albert Breer of SI.com points to Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and former Packers and Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy as names to watch.

Nagy has an obvious connection to Borgonzi, previously a longtime member of Kansas City’s front office. He also has some past success as an NFL head coach, having gone 34-31 with the Bears from 2018-21. Nagy took the Bears to the playoffs twice in that span.

McCarthy coached the Packers from 2006-18, winning one Super Bowl along the way, and Brinker was in their front office for most of that span. With a career .608 winning percentage over 18 seasons, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see someone give McCarthy a third opportunity.

As established coaches on the offensive side of the ball, either Nagy or McCarthy could aid in the development of quarterback Cam Ward. The first overall pick in last spring’s draft, Ward is the most important player in the organization. If Ward eventually lives up to his draft stock, it would go a long way in helping the Titans orchestrate a turnaround. Ward’s career has gotten off to a rough start, though, which isn’t a shock when considering the lack of coaching stability and the Titans’ dearth of talent.

While the Titans need more from Ward, they aren’t necessarily locked in on hiring an offensive choice or someone with head coaching experience. Two defensive coordinators, the Chargers’ Jesse Minter and the Rams’ Chris Shula, are among the “wide array of candidates” the Titans have considered so far, Breer reports. PFR’s Sam Robinson previously highlighted Minter and Shula as ascending defensive coaches to monitor during the hiring cycle, which will lack obvious slam-dunk picks on the offensive side.

The 42-year-old Minter and Shula, 39, don’t have head coaching experience at any level. However, they’ve drawn rave reviews in coordinator roles, which will lead to interest from other organizations.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh brought Minter with him to LA after a national championship-winning season with the Michigan Wolverines in 2023. The move has worked out for the Chargers, who have boasted upper-echelon defenses under Minter.

Shula, the grandson of legendary head coach Don Shula and the son of former Bengals HC Dave Shula, is also in his second year as a coordinator. Playing its first season of the post-Aaron Donald era, the Rams’ defense ranked an underwhelming 17th in scoring and 26th in yards in 2024. It’s a far more impressive second and 13th in those categories this year.

While Nagy, McCarthy, Minter, and Shula all seem like reasonable possibilities to end up as the Titans’ next sideline leader, there are surely more choices under consideration. The Titans are working to narrow down the list by season’s end, per Breer.

The next hire will bring in a new staff, but management will “likely” ask that individual to strongly consider retaining first-year sspecial teams coordinator John Fassel, according to Titans reporter Paul Kuharsky. Fassel previously led ST units for the Raiders, Rams, and Cowboys. He was on McCarthy’s staff in Dallas from 2020-24. It could work in Fassel’s favor if the Titans hire McCarthy. 

25 comments Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Chargers Los Angeles Rams Tennessee Titans

Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman To Emerge As Giants Candidate?

By | at November 15, 2025 9:58 pm

Having fired Brian Daboll on Monday, the 2-8 Giants are in the early stages of finding their next head coach. Mike Kafka will finish the season on an interim basis after a promotion from offensive coordinator. However, barring shockingly strong results from Kafka, it seems probable that Daboll’s successor will come from outside the organization.

General manager Joe Schoen, who hired Daboll in 2022, is leading the search for his replacement. Schoen and Giants ownership haven’t had “serious meetings” about the traits they want in their new head coach, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. For his part, Schoen isn’t guaranteed to remain with the organization for the long haul. He’s only under contract through 2026. The Giants will review Schoen’s work at the end of this season, but the belief around the NFL is that he’ll remain in place, Russini reports.

As for who Schoen will hire, there’s no doubt that plenty of potential candidates will come up in connection to New York’s opening in the coming weeks. The Giants “already have a shortlist of candidates,” Russini writes. It doesn’t include North Carolina’s Bill Belichick, according to Russini. Belichick issued a statement Friday saying he’s not interested in the Giants’ job or any other NFL opportunity that may come along. The Giants didn’t contact Belichick before he shot down a possible return to the pros, and it seems doubtful they were ever going to pursue him.

While Belichick isn’t in the mix, one early name to keep an eye on is Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. The soon-to-be 40-year-old could become the latest successful college coach to try his hand in the NFL.

If Freeman is interested in the job, there’s “some buzz” that the Giants may talk to him, per Dan Graziano of ESPN. Meanwhile, Dan Duggan of The Athletic regards Freeman as an early front-runner for the position, placing him behind Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and the out-of-work Mike McCarthy.

Freeman has gone 40-12 with the Fighting Irish since the former linebacker took over for the departed Brian Kelly in December 2021. He guided Notre Dame to the national championship game last season, but the team suffered a 34-23 defeat to Ohio State. Just days before Freeman & Co. lost to the Buckeyes in January, the Bears reportedly sought an interview with him. That didn’t come to fruition, though, and the Bears ended up hiring Ben Johnson.

Anarumo, a well-respected coordinator, has been a popular figure in the rumor mill since the Giants moved on from Daboll. The Staten Island native is a former Giants assistant who was a candidate for the HC job before Daboll landed it. Anarumo’s son currently works for the Giants as a pro scout.

McCarthy, 62, brings vast experience as a head coach. His teams have gone an impressive 174-112-2 in the regular season. He led the Packers from 2006-18, winning one Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers during that 13-year period, and the Cowboys from 2020-24.

In limbo with the Cowboys last winter before Jerry Jones replaced him with Brian Schottenheimer, McCarthy interviewed with Chicago and New Orleans. After he began losing ground with the Saints, who chose Kellen Moore, McCarthy withdrew as a candidate. He hasn’t found another job since then, though perhaps the Giants will look in his direction.

The Johnson pick has worked out so far for the Bears, who are 6-3 and already guaranteed a better record than last year’s 5-12 mark. If they make the right hire, the Giants may have a chance to enjoy a similar turnaround in 2026.

23 comments New York Giants

Titans’ HC Search Underway; Team To Prioritize Previous HC Experience?

By | at October 19, 2025 9:13 am

Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker might have final say over roster decisions, but both he and first-year general manager Mike Borgonzi will run the search for the club’s next head coach in the wake of Brian Callahan’s dismissal. As Albert Breer of SI.com reports, the duo is not waiting to begin the process and is already researching potential candidates.

Breer adds that Tennessee is not hiring a search firm to aid in the hunt. He also says Brinker and Borgonzi intend to be open-minded and will not focus on a particular “type” of coach.

It is unclear whether he simply means the Titans will consider offense- and defense-oriented coaches, or if the club’s open-mindedness will extend to candidates without previous HC experience. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the lack of success with Callahan – who had not risen above the coordinator ranks when he was hired in 2024 – makes it likely Tennessee opts for a candidate with a head coaching gig on their resume (along with “strong leadership qualities”).

Several of the names that already have been floated as potential targets, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, do have recent experience in an HC post. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, who first reported Nagy’s and Smith’s candidacy, subsequently added Mike McCarthy and Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to the list, and those coaches have also served as bench bosses in the past (McCarthy with the Packers and Cowboys, Joseph with Denver).

However, both Rapoport and Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) name Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo as a candidate to watch, with Russini also identifying Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver as someone who could interest Tennessee brass. Both men have interviewed for HC positions in recent history, with Anarumo earning a second interview for the Cardinals’ top job in 2023 and Weaver advancing to the second interview stage with the Saints, Falcons, and Commanders over the last two years.

Although neither Anarumo nor Weaver have landed a head coaching job yet, they could be popular interviewees in the upcoming cycle. Whether the Titans are the club to give them their first HC opportunity in light of the disastrous Callahan tenure remains to be seen, but even though Schefter says the club prefers an experienced hand, the ESPN scribe acknowledges Brinker and Borgonzi will cast a wide net in their evaluation process.

As Schefter also points out, Brinker was part of the Packers’ last HC search, which culminated in the Matt LaFleur hire. Titans assistant GM Dave Ziegler, who worked as a personnel advisor with the Saints last year, was part of New Orleans’ hunt for a new head coach after Dennis Allen was fired during the 2024 campaign. The Saints hired Kellen Moore shortly after Ziegler accepted his current job with the Titans.

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