Kevin Stefanski Expected To Interview With Giants, Falcons, Titans
9:22pm: Stefanski will indeed be interviewing with the Titans. Veteran reporter Paul Kuharsky reports that the ousted Browns coach will meet with Tennessee leadership on Saturday.
3:40pm: In the time leading up to ‘Black Monday,’ it became increasingly clear Kevin Stefanski‘s time in Cleveland was coming to an end. The Browns, as expected, fired him this morning. 
Many have pointed to Stefanski as one of the top head coaching candidates in the 2026 cycle. To no surprise, then, a list of prospective suitors has emerged in short order. Stefanski is expected to interview with the Giants, Falcons and Titans, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Prior to his dismissal, Stefanski was named as a candidate to watch regarding the Giants. New York has used Mike Kafka in an interim capacity since firing Brian Daboll. Kafka will receive an interview for the full-time gig, but a number of outside options will be explored as well.
The Titans’ initial batch of interview requests came out earlier today. The Chiefs tandem of Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo along with Broncos and Colts defensive coordinators Vance Joseph and Lou Anarumo have been targeted for an interview. Tennessee has also been mentioned as a likely suitor in the case of Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury. Stefanski represents another veteran play-caller on the offensive side of the ball as the Titans seek out Brian Callahan‘s replacement.
By Sunday night, Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot had been fired by Atlanta. The team is nearing a hire for a new president of football operations position. Matt Ryan is the frontrunner for that role. Once a deal has been finalized in that respect, attention will turn to the HC and GM vacancies. Atlanta has already submitted interview requests with Klint Kubiak (offensive coordinator, Seahawks) and Anthony Weaver (defensive coordinator, Dolphins).
Stefanski won a pair of Coach of the Year awards during his six seasons with the Browns. Things have not gone according to plan since the start of 2024, however, a factor which was noted in the statement confirming his dismissal. Nevertheless, the 43-year-old is largely held in a high regard as a veteran offensive mind who has (at times) found success in spite of unenviable quarterback situations.
Developing any of Jaxson Dart, Cam Ward or Michael Penix Jr. would be seen as a top priority for Stefanski in the event of a hire. His interest in each of the vacancies in New York, Tennessee and Atlanta will be worth monitoring as the hiring landscape takes shape. Given the fact he is now unemployed, Stefanski is free to interview with teams at any time.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/5/26
We’ve got our first batch of reserve/futures contracts to pass along. These moves allow organizations to retain (routinely) young, practice squad players. Here are the latest transactions:
Atlanta Falcons
- WR Chris Blair, P Trenton Gill, DB Tysheem Johnson, DT Ben Stille, OT Andrew Stueber, RB Carlos Washington Jr., DB A.J. Woods
Baltimore Ravens
- OT Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan, WR Cornelius Johnson, DT David Olajiga, DB Amani Oruwariye, G Jared Penning, DB Marquise Robinson, LB Kaimon Rucker, FB Lucas Scott
Cincinnati Bengals
- LB Liam Anderson, C Jacob Bayer, RB Gary Brightwell, QB Sean Clifford, OT Andrew Coker, DT Howard Cross III, OT Javon Foster, WR Xavier Johnson, CB Jalen Kimber, CB Bralyn Lux, WR Jordan Moore, LB Antwaun Powell-Ryland, S Russ Yeast
Cleveland Browns
- TE Sal Cannella, G Jack Conley, WR Luke Floriea, RB Ahmani Marshall, OT Tyre Phillips, TE Caden Prieskorn
Dallas Cowboys
- WR ParrisCampbell, OL Nick Leverett
Detroit Lions
- OL Devin Cochran, WR Malik Cunningham, DE Ahmed Hassanein, TE Zach Horton, WR Jackson Meeks, OL Mason Miller, RB Jabari Small, DL Chris Smith, S Loren Strickland
Indianapolis Colts
- RB Ulysses Bentley IV, CB Wyett Ekeler, DE Viliami Fehoko Jr., G LaDarius Henderson, QB Seth Henigan, OT Bayron Matos, TE Sean McKeon, C Jimmy Morrissey, G Bill Murray, DE Durell Nchami, S Ben Nikkel, WR Coleman Owen, WR Eli Pancol, G Josh Sills, DT Tim Smith, S Trey Washington
Kansas City Chiefs
- LB Kam Arnold, DT Marcus Harris, WR Jimmy Holiday, OT Matt Waletzko
Las Vegas Raiders
- RB Chris Collier, G McClendon Curtis, LB Jamin Davis, WR Phillip Dorsett, DT Treven Ma’ae, OT Joshua Miles, TE Albert Okwuegbunam, WR Brenden Rice, G Layden Robinson, WR Justin Shorter, OL Laki Tasi, OT Dalton Wagner
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Joaquin Davis, OT Caleb Etienne, WR Dontae Fleming, S Kahlef Hailassie, WR Jeshaun Jones, TE Bryson Nesbit, G Vershon Lee, LB Josh Ross
New Orleans Saints
- CB Dalys Beanum, CB Beanie Bishop, WR Elijah Cooks, S Elliott Davison, DT Coziah Izzard, OT Easton Kilty, CB Jayden Price, OT Barry Wesley
New York Giants
- LB Swayze Bozeman, TE Tanner Conner, OLB Trace Ford, OL Reid Holskey, CB Patrick McMorris, CB Myles Purchase
New York Jets
- DE Paschal Ekeji, OL Liam Fornadel, LB Ochaun Mathis, WR Jamaal Pritchett, DB Samuel Womack
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DB Marcus Banks, WR Dennis Houston, NT Nash Hutmacher, LB Nick Jackson, DT Jayson Jones, C Ben Scott, LB Benton Whitley, DB Damarion Williams, RB Josh Williams, RB Owen Wright
Tennessee Titans
- DE David Ebuka Agoha, DB Keydrain Calligan, DT Timmy Horne, LB Nate Lynn, WR Hal Presley, NT Isaiah Raikes, WR Xavier Restrepo, LB Cam Riley, RB Blake Watson, G Clay Webb, TE Joel Wilson
Washington Commanders
- Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, DT Ricky Barber, WR Ja’Corey Brooks, CB Tre Hawkins, DE D.J. Johnson, WR Jacoby Jones, DE TJ Maguranyanga, S Rob McDaniel, OT Tim McKay, CB Darius Rush, CB Car’lin Vigers
Titans Expected To Release WR Calvin Ridley
Despite having two years remaining on his contract, Calvin Ridley‘s stint in Tennessee has likely come to an end. According to ESPN’s Turron Davenport, the veteran wide receiver is expected to be a cap casualty this offseason.
The Titans won a bidding war for Ridley during the 2024 offseason, signing the former first-round pick to a four-year, $92MM contract. Despite uninspiring QB play from Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, Ridley still produced during his first season with the Titans, finishing with 64 catches for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns.
While the Titans added first-overall pick Cam Ward to guide the offense in 2025, Ridley saw his per-game receiving numbers drop from 59.8 in 2024 to 43.3 in 2025. The wideout was limited to only 17 catches in seven games before his season ended early thanks to a broken fibula.
Ridley is owed about $41MM in base salary between 2026 and 2027, with his cap hits exceeding $26MM in each of those campaigns. However, the Titans did include an out in his contract, so the team could release Ridley and only be left with around $13MM in dead cap. About $3MM of his 2026 salary is guaranteed in mid-March, allowing the player to still enter free agency at about the same time as his peers.
While teams might not be able to justify a $20MM annual commitment to the receiver, Ridley still shouldn’t lack for suitors if he does hit the open market. The wideout proved to be a formidable scorer during his time with the Falcons, hauling in 26 touchdowns through his first three seasons in the league. He also has three 1,000-plus-yard seasons on his resume, including a 1,374-yard showing with the Falcons in 2020 that led to his lone All-Pro nod.
While 2026 will represent Ridley’s age-32 season, he should be a worthy target for WR-needy teams. Assuming he is cut, he’ll be joining a positional free agent class that includes the likes of George Pickens, Mike Evans, Alec Pierce, Jauan Jennings, and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Titans Arrange Raheem Morris HC Meeting
His Falcons tenure cut short after two seasons, Raheem Morris represents a prime defensive coordinator candidate. But a report earlier today indicated the two-time NFL HC would be expected to draw interest for another top job.
The Titans will make good on that, as ESPN’s Peter Schrager reports Morris will meet with the AFC South team about its HC vacancy. The interview is scheduled for this week. Morris is among a host of candidates linked with the Tennessee job thus far; a round of interview slips went out today.
Tennessee is hoping to interview Kevin Stefanski, Matt Nagy, Steve Spagnuolo, Vance Joseph and Lou Anarumo. Morris joins Stefanski as a dismissed HC on the market. Because Morris and Stefanski are unattached, they can meet in-person with any interested team. Coaches who are tied to a team presently cannot, giving the unemployed options a leg up to start the process.
Anarumo, Joseph, Nagy and Spagnuolo can meet with the Titans starting Wednesday. Joseph can meet with the team remotely. Had the Broncos not won in Week 18, Joseph would have been unable to meet about the job until after three days after the wild-card round. Since Denver secured a first-round bye, its DC can discuss the position this week. The Titans must interview two external minority candidates to satisfy the Rooney Rule. Joseph is seen as one of this market’s top candidates; after Morris went two-and-done in Atlanta, it is difficult to gauge his standing.
Morris, 49, went 16-18 in his second Falcons stint. Overall, he is 37-56. It is fair to point out Morris has been tied to inconsistent quarterbacks throughout his coaching career. The Buccaneers’ failed Josh Freeman experiment occurred during Morris’ time leading the Tampa Bay staff, and Michael Penix Jr. struggled before going down with a season-ending injury this year. The Falcons made the atypical decision to hand out a big free agency deal (to Kirk Cousins) only to turn around and use a top-10 pick on a passer six weeks later. This made for a convoluted setup, though Morris’ staff was believed to be a key part of the Penix investment.
A defensive coach who won a Super Bowl ring as the DC for the Rams, Morris also is the rare leader with extensive experience on both sides of the ball. He coached Falcons wide receivers from 2015-19 and served as Dan Quinn‘s offensive pass-game coordinator during part of that time. This past season, the Falcons rejuvenated their pass rush; Atlanta’s 57 sacks trailed only Denver this season. That represented a remarkable turnaround, but while that occurred during a season in which the Falcons won their final four games, the team still opted to reboot and fire both its HC and GM (Terry Fontenot).
Titans QB Cam Ward Unlikely To Undergo Shoulder Surgery
Cam Ward avoided injuries throughout his rookie season until midway through Week 18. An injury to his throwing shoulder left the Titans without their starting quarterback to close out the campaign. 
Further testing took place on Monday in Ward’s case. An AC joint sprain was confirmed, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. As veteran Titans reporter Paul Kuharksy notes, it is unclear at this point if the injury is indeed a Grade 3 strain as was indicated yesterday. In any event, the team is viewing today’s updates as the best-case scenario.
It has been recommended to Ward that he avoid undergoing surgery. When speaking to the media on Monday, the 2025 No. 1 pick said (via Terry McCormick of TitansInsider.com) he is not certain at this point if he will have a procedure. Ward does not believe one will be necessary, though. With that matter still unclear at the moment, no firm timeline is in place.
For now, Ward’s attention will turn to rehabbing the injury. The 23-year-old will look to heal in full prior to the offseason program while preparing for his second year in Tennessee. It remains to be seen who his coach will be, but Ward will be expected to build off the momentum generated over the closing stages of the campaign. After throwing one interception in six straights games through September and October, he was picked off only once more the rest of the way.
Ward posted a passer rating of 80.2 and was sacked a league-leading 55 times in 2025. That illustrates the need for further improvement on offense – especially up front – along with development from the Washington State and Miami product. It remains to be seen if the necessary steps forward will be taken in 2026, but at least a lengthy recovery process will not be needed.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
With the AFC North now settled (in rather dramatic fashion), the 2025 regular season is in the books. Following their decisions to shelve Brock Bowers and Maxx Crosby, the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick. After entering Week 17 in that slot, the Giants — as they did in 2024 — slipped out of the top two thanks to a late-season win.
Big Blue’s victories over the Raiders and Cowboys dropped them to No. 5, with today’s win allowing the Jets, Cardinals and Titans to leapfrog them. The Giants, who fell out of the No. 1 spot last year thanks to a Drew Lock-led win over the Colts in Week 17, will still hold a top-five pick — just not the one most expected two weeks ago. The Jets saw the Colts’ collapse, which dropped them from 8-2 to 8-9, give them two picks in the top 16.
The Cardinals started 2-0 but managed to close the season with 14 losses over their final 15 games. This will give Arizona a top-four pick for the third time in the Monti Ossenfort era. The GM traded out of that slot in 2023 before drafting Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2024; Ossenfort is expected to be retained for a fourth season, providing another opportunity. This will be the third straight year the Titans will hold a top-seven pick.
The Buccaneers beat the Panthers on Saturday, but thanks to a three-way NFC South tie, Tampa Bay’s draft slot will land out of the playoff positions for the first time since 2020. Because Atlanta defeated New Orleans today, Carolina’s first-round pick will slide into the bottom 14 despite its 8-9 finish — one that secured playoff entry for the first time since 2017.
Although the draft order is not fully set due to the upcoming playoffs, the first 18 picks are. Here is how the order looks after Week 18:
- Las Vegas Raiders (3-14)
- New York Jets (3-14)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
- Tennessee Titans (3-14)
- New York Giants (4-13)
- Cleveland Browns (5-12)
- Washington Commanders (5-12)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-11)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-11)
- Miami Dolphins (7-10)
- Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Detroit Lions (9-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Carolina Panthers (8-9)
- Dallas Cowboys (from Packers)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
- Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (11-6)
- Buffalo Bills (12-5)
- Chicago Bears (11-6)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Houston Texans (12-5)
- Cleveland Browns (from Jaguars)
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- New England Patriots (14-3)
- Denver Broncos (14-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Titans’ Cam Ward Suffers Shoulder Injury
Titans quarterback Cam Ward‘s rookie season came to an unceremoniously early ending today when he exited today’s season finale with an injury. Ward has been initially diagnosed with a Grade 3 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, per The Athletic’s Jeff Howe and Titans insider Paul Kuharsky. 
Ward landed on shoulder of his throwing arm while reaching for the end zone on the Titans’ first drive of Sunday’s game in Jacksonville. Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun landed on top of the No. 1 overall pick, driving him harder into the ground. Ward briefly went into the blue tent before making his way to the locker room and was seen later on the sideline in sweats.
Despite the injury, the 23-year-old started every game for the Titans in his rookie campaign. Though Ward had appeared on the team’s injury report back in Week 4 with ankle/calf issues, and though Ward was the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL this year (55, tied with Raiders quarterback Geno Smith), Ward had played 100 percent of the team’s offensive snaps up to that point of the season. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen‘s first snaps today were Tennessee’s first offensive snaps without Ward on the field this year.
AC joint sprain recovery times vary depending on the degree of severity. A milder Grade 1 sprain may take a couple weeks to shake off, whereas a Grade 3 sprain could take several months to recover from. The team saw former starter Will Levis suffer an AC joint sprain early in his second year with the team. He was cleared after the Titans’ bye week and started the next game without missing any time, but he reaggravated the injury in his first game after the injury and was sidelined for the next three weeks. Levis underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in July before this season, but it’s unclear if the procedure was related to the AC joint sprain or a more recent injury.
Ward’s injury ended a rookie season that he will want to quickly move on from. Coming into the final week of the season, Ward ranked 25th in the NFL in passing yards per game and dead last in touchdowns per pass attempt. As mentioned above, he also led the league in sacks taken and yards lost from sacks. Many of these troubling stats can be attributed to Ward adjusting to the speed difference from college to the pros, but the quality of the players around him should not be ignored.
While Ward certainly needs to get the ball out quicker in certain situations, he was under pressure on 27.9 percent of his pass attempts, the third-highest percentage in the league. His receivers also racked up the 12th-most drops in the NFL and finished 27th in the NFL in yards after catch. Ward did show bright spots, though, like only throwing seven interceptions, good for an interception rate of 1.3 percent — the third-best such figure in the NFL this year. He also was able to keep plays alive with his legs and turn broken plays into highlights, something he was known to do in college, as well.
All-in-all, the Titans still believe that Ward is their franchise quarterback, but his development is going to be crucial as he looks to take another step forward in Year 2. The team will likely have Ward undergo some testing to determine the exact severity of today’s injury, and they’ll hope that the resulting recovery time won’t keep him from being available for OTAs in May.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
Kliff Kingsbury On Titans’ HC Radar; Commanders Not Certain To Retain OC?
Kliff Kingsbury stayed off the 2025 HC carousel, preferring to ride the momentum he built for steering Jayden Daniels‘ Offensive Rookie of the Year season. A year later, the Commanders have nosedived. Changes are expected.
As we have discussed a few times, this year’s HC talent pool features more defense-based candidates. That should give Kingsbury an opportunity to potentially return to the HC level despite being tied to a losing team. The Titans are believed to be interested in Kingsbury, whom JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington believes has a “real shot” of landing that job.
But Kingsbury also may find himself in a highly unusual position: a candidate for HC jobs elsewhere but not certain to retain his own position. A disconnect has developed between Kingsbury and Commanders GM Adam Peters, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Although the Commanders are still expected to retain Kingsbury — in the event he does not land a top coaching job elsewhere — that is certainly notable as a rough season concludes. This comes as rather surprising given the push the Commanders made to dissuade Kingsbury from taking the Raiders’ OC job in 2024.
The 2024 Commanders made one of the most surprising trips to the conference championship game in NFL history. Daniels flashed superstar potential as a rookie, and Kingsbury — who has spoken of wanting another HC shot — was content to stay paired with the rising talent. A three-injury 2025 season for Daniels stonewalled the Commanders’ momentum, and an aging roster will require many changes. It would surprise if the Commanders greenlit a play-caller change considering how much Daniels achieved when last healthy for an extended stretch, but any friction between Kingsbury and the front office could make him more eager to explore opportunities this year.
The Titans have been closely connected to Matt Nagy, who joins Kingsbury as a second-chance candidate with an offensive background. Nagy also worked with Titans GM Mike Borgonzi. Kingsbury has no such tie, but he did appear on many teams’ HC radars after Washington ranked fifth in scoring an seventh total yardage in 2024. With Daniels largely out of the mix this season, the Commanders have sunk to 25th and 21st in those categories. Kingsbury, 46, did not conduct any HC interviews last year. That might change in 2026, as he has also been tied to the Giants’ HC position.
Elsewhere on the Commanders’ staff, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero note Joe Whitt Jr. is likely to be removed from this DC post. We heard last month this was the expected course of action. With Dan Quinn stripping his longtime coworker of play-calling duties, it appeared Whitt — as is the case with Lions OC John Morton after he lost his call sheet — was a clear firing candidate at season’s end.
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/3/26
After the final standard gameday practice squad elevations of the 2025 regular season, the three-game elevation limit resets for the postseason, so only players getting signed to the 53-man roster because of the limit will be noted today. Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed from practice squad: WR Tejhaun Palmer
- Elevated: CB Jaden Davis, WR Steven Sims
Atlanta Falcons
- Elevated: P Trenton Gill
Baltimore Ravens
- Elevated: WR Keith Kirkwood, CB Amani Oruwariye
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: LB Keonta Jenkins, DE Matt Judon
Chicago Bears
- Elevated: TE Nikola Kalinic, LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Elevated: DT Howard Cross III, CB Bralyn Lux
Cleveland Browns
- Signed from practice squad: LB Edefuan Ulofoshio
- Elevated: TE Sal Cannella
- Placed on IR: LB Carson Schwesinger
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from IR: RB Phil Mafah
- Activated from reserve/PUP: CB Josh Butler
- Signed from practice squad: LB Justin Barron
- Elevated: G Nick Leverett
- Placed on IR: G T.J. Bass, RB Malik Davis, RB Javonte Williams
Denver Broncos
- Elevated: LB Levelle Bailey
Detroit Lions
- Elevated: TE Zach Horton, OL Chris Hubbard
- Placed on IR: OL Trystan Colon
Green Bay Packers
- Signed from practice squad: WR Jakobie Keeney-James, G Lecitus Smith
- Elevated: TE Drake Dabney, LB Jamon Johnson
- Placed on IR: OL Donovan Jennings, WR Savion Williams
Houston Texans
- Elevated: DT Leki Fotu, S Kaevon Merriweather
Indianapolis Colts
- Elevated: QB Seth Henigan, TE Sean McKeon
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Elevated: TE Patrick Herbert
Kansas City Chiefs
- Elevated: WR Jason Brownlee, WR Jimmy Holiday
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: LB Jamin Davis, T Dalton Wagner
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: S Marcus Maye
- Elevated: G Branson Taylor, QB DJ Uiagalelei
- Placed on IR: CB Nikko Reed
Miami Dolphins
- Elevated: LB Derrick McLendon, RB Jeff Wilson
Minnesota Vikings
- Elevated: WR Jeshaun Jones, LB Sione Takitaki
New Orleans Saints
- Signed from practice squad: TE Treyton Welch
- Elevated: QB Jake Haener, RB Nyheim Miller-Hines
New York Giants
- Signed from practice squad: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, WR Xavier Gipson, RB Dante Miller
- Elevated: TE Tanner Conner, DT Casey Rogers
- Placed on IR: CB Cor’Dale Flott, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches Sr., WR Wan’Dale Robinson
New York Jets
- Signed from practice squad: QB Hendon Hooker, DE Kingsley Jonathan, G Kohl Levao
- Elevated: RB Raheem Blackshear, CB Samuel Womack III
- Placed on IR: RB Isaiah Davis, OL Xavier Newman-Johnson, TE Mason Taylor
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: LS Charley Hughlett, S Brandon Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Elevated: CB D’Shawn Jamison
San Francisco 49ers
- Elevated: LB Eric Kendricks, T Brandon Parker
Seattle Seahawks
- Elevated: RB Cam Akers, CB Tyler Hall
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: OLB Ali Gaye, WR Bryce Oliver
- Signed from practice squad: CB Kemon Hall
- Elevated: TE Cole Turner
- Placed on IR: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (story), WR Van Jefferson
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: DT Ricky Barber, WR River Cracraft
The Browns made it known yesterday that they were shutting down Schwesinger and tight ends David Njoku and Harold Fannin Jr. for the final week of the season, but the Defensive Rookie of the Year-favorite is the only one to land on IR.
In Dallas, Williams failed to practice this week as he dealt with shoulder and neck issues. With Davis also being placed on IR, the Cowboys will rely on rookie fifth-rounder Jaydon Blue and the recently activated Mafah, a seventh-round rookie, in Week 18. The team used their eighth and final IR activation to bring Mafah back for a potential NFL debut.
Because Green Bay didn’t elevate recently signed practice squad quarterback Desmond Ridder, it appears either Malik Willis will be healthy enough to back up Clayton Tune or Jordan Love will serve as the potential QB2 for the Packers in Week 18.
Judon is set to make his Bills debut in the team’s regular season finale after signing to their practice squad two weeks ago.
With Saints backup quarterback Spencer Rattler not practicing this week with a finger injury, Haener gets the call to back up rookie Tyler Shough.
Hall in Tennessee had already been called up as a standard gameday practice squad elevation three times this season. In order for him to appear in the Titans’ regular season finale, the move to the 53-man roster was necessary.
Titans Owner Amy Adams Strunk Will Give ‘Final Blessing’ In HC Search
11:45am: The Titans have rounded out their group of executives who will participate in initial interviews, per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. A list that unsurprisingly includes Brinker and assistant GM Dave Ziegler. Vice president/football advisor Reggie McKenzie – a former Raiders linebacker and general manager – will also join, as will vice president of player personnel Dan Saganey.
10:35am: Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk announced a front office reshuffle in Tennessee on Friday, but she is expected to remain a part of the team’s search for a new head coach.
Both Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker are remaining in their respective positions as general manager and president of football operations, but Borgonzi will lead the hiring process in the coming weeks.
The Titans will conduct virtual interviews with about a dozen candidates, per Titans insider Paul Kuharsky. Strunk will not sit in on those interviews, though she may review them for in-person interviews of the team’s shortlist. Those she will attend.
This largely resembles the team’s approach to landing on Borgonzi last offseason. Brinker led that process, but Borgonzi received approval from Strunk before the hiring was made official. Similarly, she will give a “final blessing” for the Titans’ new head coach.
The extent of Strunk’s input on the Titans’ new coach remains to be seen. She has not been afraid to impose her will on the franchise when it comes to coaching and front office decisions, all the way down to specific moves regarding specific players. That was a source of friction with Mike Vrabel, who did a lot with a little in Tennessee, and ultimately led to his removal.
As a result, head coaching candidates may be wary of Strunk’s tendency to impose her will on the team. They may use their interviews to gauge compatibility not just with Borgonzi and Brinker, but Strunk as well.