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Details On Titans’ Robert Saleh Hire

By | at January 20, 2026 10:29 pm

Although a report on Monday pegged Matt Nagy as the frontunner for the Titans’ head coaching position, the team instead hired Robert Saleh several hours later. Nagy and Saleh joined then-Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as the Titans’ finalists, according to insider Jordan Schultz, who reveals the team never seriously considered Mike McCarthy despite interviewing him

Tennessee lost one of its finalists when the Dolphins hired Hafley as their head coach on Monday evening. Saleh, meanwhile, entered his Monday interview with the Titans needing to “win the job,” Albert Breer of SI.com writes.

In successfully landing the role, the former 49ers defensive coordinator secured a five-year contract, per Schultz. Because Saleh’s second stint in San Francisco only lasted one year, the 49ers will not receive draft compensation for losing him, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes.

Saleh’s summit with the Titans included a three-hour meeting with general manager Mike Borgonzi, president of football operations Chad Brinker, and several other members of their front office, Breer relays. Borgonzi made the recommendation to hire Saleh after his successful pitch to team brass.

Saleh impressed the group with a “detailed plan” on working with quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. That included ideas on putting together the right offensive staff to maximize Ward’s potential. Saleh’s looking for a “CEO-type” offensive coordinator, Schultz says.

We already know Saleh’s offensive staff will not include Mike McDaniel, who developed a strong bond with Saleh when they coached together in San Francisco from 2017-20. Although Saleh had been in contact with McDaniel (via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN), the latter is on the cusp of becoming the Chargers’ offensive coordinator.

Given Ward’s importance to the organization, the Titans wanted all of their head coaching candidates to present a plan for Ward, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. With Saleh now in charge and McDaniel about to come off the board, former Giants head coach Brian Daboll is reportedly in the mix to take over as Ward’s next offensive coordinator.

The Titans interviewed Daboll for their head coaching job, but he may wind up taking on a key role as an assistant with the team. However, Daboll has another suitor in the Eagles, who are interested in him for their O-coordinator opening. He’s also a potential candidate for Buffalo’s head coaching job, which became available when the team unexpectedly fired Sean McDermott on Monday. Daboll spent 2018-21 as the Bills’ OC and aided in developing Josh Allen into an elite signal-caller. In bringing in Daboll to help Ward, the Titans would hope for similar results.

If Daboll doesn’t join Saleh’s staff, Breer identifies former Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury, Rams OC Mike LaFleur and Steelers OC Arthur Smith as other possibilities.

Kingsbury helped guide 2024 second overall pick Jayden Daniels to stellar results as a rookie, but multiple injuries largely prevented the dual-threat QB from building on that success this season. After Daniels played in just seven games in 2025, Kingsbury and the Commanders parted ways. Kingsbury has since drawn the attention of teams looking for head coaches and offensive coordinators.

LaFleur also worked with Saleh in San Francisco, though Breer is skeptical he’ll leave Los Angeles this offseason. Interestingly, LaFleur’s brother, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, played a role in the Titans’ decision to hire Saleh. After the Jets fired him as their head coach in October 2024, Saleh ended the season on LaFleur’s staff as an offensive consultant. LaFleur, one of Saleh’s closest friends, provided the Titans helpful feedback during their search.

Smith, a Nashville native, also interviewed for the Titans’ HC gig. Previously a Titans assistant from 2011-20, Smith held the OC role in his last two years with the organization before a three-season run as the Falcons’ head coach. While Smith is still on Pittsburgh’s staff, Mike Tomlin‘s resignation casts doubt on his future with the team.

Saleh will spend the coming weeks assembling his staff, a group he hopes will help produce better results than he generated in New York. The Jets canned Saleh after he posted an unsightly 20-36 record over three-plus seasons. While Saleh didn’t call the defensive plays with the Jets, that will change in his new home, which helps give the Titans confidence the 46-year-old will capitalize on his second chance as a head coach.

Saleh’s “energy and presence” helped win over owner Amy Adams Strunk, whose previous head coaching hire, Brian Callahan, contributed to the franchise’s recent slide. Now stuck in a four-year playoff drought, the Titans have gone a woeful 19-49 since 2022.

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Brian Daboll “In The Mix” For Titans OC Job?

By | at January 20, 2026 9:05 pm

Robert Saleh could potentially turn to his former New York counterpart to fill his offensive coordinator role. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo believes that Brian Daboll is in the mix for the Titans offensive coordinator job. Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS also reported this connection earlier today.

Daboll interviewed for the Titans head coaching gig but ultimately lost out to Saleh, who reportedly came to an agreement with the franchise last night. Still, that factor may not dissuade the former Giants head coach from taking a job on Tennessee’s staff.

Per Garafolo, Daboll is one of several available OC candidates who “does like what he sees” with the Titans. Garafolo cites several factors that could be alluring to potential hires. Obviously, 2025 first-overall pick Cam Ward leads that list, but the reporter also points to the team’s abundance of cap space, high draft picks, and new NFL stadium. In fact, it was those factors that led the Titans to finish second in the John Harbaugh sweepstakes, according to Garafolo.

Thanks to the attractive situation in Tennessee, Saleh will have “some cards” that he can use when recruiting his new staff to the Titans. If the new head coach wants an experienced name to guide his offense, Daboll would certainly fit the bill. The 50-year-old has held several OC jobs throughout his NFL career, including stops with the Browns, Dolphins, Chiefs, and Bills. He didn’t see the same offensive success during his head coaching gig with the Giants, although he did have to start eight different QBs during his four years in New York.

With Mike McDaniel off the board after taking the Chargers OC job, Daboll would now be one of the hottest names left on the market. The coach is still in the running for the Eagles OC job, and he may emerge as a HC candidate in Buffalo. While he doesn’t have a true connection to the Titans, Garafolo notes that he formed a friendship with Saleh while the two were coaching in New York. Now, they could both land on the same staff in Tennessee.

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Falcons Hire Bill Callahan As OL Coach

By | at January 20, 2026 11:39 am

New Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski is starting to build his new staff, and his first major hire is a reunion with offensive line coach Bill Callahan, per team reporter Tori McElhaney.

Callahan, 69, is one of the most respected OL coaches in the NFL. He has coached for nine different teams, including Stefanski’s Browns from 2020 to 2023. In 2024, he followed his son and then-Browns offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, to Tennessee when he was hired as the Titans’ head coach.

Callahan’s offensive line ranked fifth and sixth in sacks allowed during his two seasons as their coach despite the team’s investments in the unit. That was representative of the entire offense, though, as their quarterbacks had a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long, partially because receivers were not open downfield.

When the Titans fired Brian Callahan in October, his father unsurprisingly left the team shortly after. In another predictable move, he followed Stefanski to Atlanta, something that was referenced by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shortly after Stefanski was hired.

In Atlanta, Callahan will replace Dwayne Ledford, who was also the Falcons’ run game coordinator. He is expected to draw interest around the league, per Garafolo. Perhaps he could follow Arthur Smith, the coach who brought him into the NFL in 2021 after 15 years at the college level, to his next destination.

Stefanski is expected to take other Browns assistants with him. At the top of his list is offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who will likely take the same job in Atlanta

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2026 NFL Offensive/Defensive Coordinator Search Tracker

By | at January 20, 2026 9:00 am

The 2026 head coaching carousel has now seen 10 jobs open since the start of the offseason, as the Bills have fired Sean McDermott. HC firings generally lead to coordinator changes, and several other teams have proceeded with OC or DC moves to start their offseasons. Here are the current OC and DC searches transpiring. As the remaining HC searches conclude, more coordinator searches will be added to this list.

Updated 1-27-26 (5:09pm CT)

Offensive Coordinators

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens 

Denver Broncos (Out: Joe Lombardi)

Detroit Lions (Out: John Morton)

Kansas City Chiefs (Out: Matt Nagy)

  • Eric Bieniemy, running backs coach (Bears): Rehired

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Greg Roman)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Frank Smith)

New York Giants (Out: Mike Kafka)

New York Jets (Out: Tanner Engstrand)

Philadelphia Eagles (Out: Kevin Patullo)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Arthur Smith)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Out: Josh Grizzard)

Tennessee Titans (Out: Nick Holz)

Washington Commanders (Out: Kliff Kingsbury)

Defensive Coordinators

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Dallas Cowboys (Out: Matt Eberflus)

Green Bay Packers (Out: Jeff Hafley)

Los Angeles Chargers (Out: Jesse Minter)

Miami Dolphins (Out: Anthony Weaver)

  • Clint Hurtt, defensive line coach (Eagles): Interviewed

New York Giants (Out: Shane Bowen)

New York Jets (Out: Steve Wilks)

Pittsburgh Steelers (Out: Teryl Austin)

  • Patrick Graham, defensive coordinator (Raiders): To interview
  • Jason Simmons, pass game coordinator (Commanders): To interview

Tennessee Titans (Out: Dennard Wilson)

Washington Commanders (Out: Joe Whitt)

2 comments Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Ravens Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Dallas Cowboys Denver Broncos Detroit Lions Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers Miami Dolphins Minnesota Vikings New York Giants New York Jets PFR Originals Philadelphia Eagles Pittsburgh Steelers Seattle Seahawks Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Washington Commanders

Titans Hire Robert Saleh As HC

By | at January 19, 2026 11:12 pm

Robert Saleh was expected to be choosey with his second head coaching opportunity, but the 49ers’ defensive coordinator has made a decision to dive back in after one season. The Titans are hiring Saleh as their next head coach, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The team has since confirmed the news.

Saleh, 46, impressed the team’s decision-makers during his interview Monday in Tennessee. He was originally scheduled to speak with the team virtually on Sunday, but the two sides pivoted to an in-person meeting that could not take place until the following day due to league hiring rules.

The race appeared to be down to Saleh and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who was set for his own in-person interview with the Titans on Tuesday. Nagy was the rumored frontrunner as of Monday afternoon, though Saleh was on the radar as a finalist over the weekend. Saleh won over owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Mike Borgonzi to become a head coach for the second time in his career. Saleh had an in-person interview with the Cardinals on Tuesday, but the Titans have convinced him to pass on that meeting.

Borgonzi was leaning toward Nagy, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport, but ownership’s preference for Saleh ultimately (and unsurprisingly) won out. Davenport sent a follow-up tweet clarifying Saleh impressed Borgonzi, who then voiced his support for this hire rather than reuniting with Nagy. Considering Strunk’s recent history with hirings and firings, it will be interesting to learn if Borgonzi was leaning strongly in the direction of hiring his former Chiefs coworker. Both Nagy and Saleh were second-chance candidates. The Titans interviewed or sought to interview 15 such options, prioritizing experience.

Saleh’s first opportunity as a head coach came with the Jets. Like his new job in Tennessee, the New York stint followed a successful run as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, a position Saleh first held from 2017 to 2020. He was Kyle Shanahan‘s first hire when he took over as San Francisco’s head coach, and the two worked together to turn the league’s bottom-ranked defense into one of its best. By 2019, the transformation was complete, and another strong year in 2020 turned Saleh into one of the hottest head coaching candidates in the 2021 hiring cycle.

The Jets swooped in with a five-year contract, and Saleh moved to New York with the goal of turning the hapless franchise around. But, like several other coaches before him, he could not get the job done with the AFC’s Big Apple franchise. He finished with a 20-36 record before he was fired midway through the 2024 season, his fourth as head coach.

Saleh’s tenure with the Jets was heavily impacted by the team’s inability to land a solid quarterback. General manager Joe Douglas used the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft to select Zach Wilson, but the BYU product never came close to meeting his billing.

New York’s offense, coordinated by fellow ex-Shanahan assistant Mike LaFleur, struggled through two seasons with Wilson as a starter before Douglas pivoted to Aaron Rodgers in 2023. As part of their play for the MVP quarterback, the team mutually agreed to part ways with LaFleur to recruit former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett immediately after his disastrous year as the Broncos’ head coach. Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth Jets offensive play of the 2023 season, and the Jets’ offense collapsed with Wilson back under center.

On defense, however, Saleh was able to replicate his work in San Francisco. The Jets finished 32nd in points and yards allowed in his debut year and fourth in both categories in his second. Another strong year in 2023 was wasted after Rodgers’ injury, and Saleh was then fired after a 2-3 start in 2024. Many saw the decision from owner Woody Johnson as an unfair one, as Douglas had been the driving force between acquiring Wilson and Rodgers. Saleh did not receive a full season with the latter, and his 7-10 showings with Wilson under center have aged pretty well.

Saleh signed on as a consultant with the Packers for the rest of the 2024 season before returning to San Francisco in the offseason to retake his former job. The 49ers’ defense did not have the same statistical results in 2025 as their previous top seasons under Saleh, but he coached his way through injuries to several key players. San Francisco lost All-Pros Nick Bosa and Fred Warner early in the season but still finished 12-5 and stifled the Eagles’ offense in the first round of the playoffs. The 49ers, who also lost first-round defensive end Mykel Williams, finished last in sacks but still ranked 13th in points allowed. Though Saleh’s defense allowed just 281 yards in the divisional round, turnovers from San Francisco’s offense led to a 41-6 victory by the Seahawks.

Saleh will have a chance to shape a franchise that does not have many long-term cornerstones outside of rookie quarterback Cam Ward and defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons. Tennessee is projected by OverTheCap to have almost $100MM in 2026 cap space and is slated for the fourth pick in April’s draft.

Saleh’s first order of business will be filling his new staff. His long history in the NFL gives him plenty of relationships with other coaches around the league, especially those also branching off of Shanahan’s tree. Saleh will likely prioritize hiring his offensive coordinator, as he is expected to call defensive plays in Tennessee, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. In New York, he handed that job off to defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and though the unit excelled, Saleh felt disconnected from the game, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel could be the first name on Saleh’s list of OC candidates. The two worked together in San Francisco, with McDaniel staying one year longer before he took the job in Miami. They could reunite in Tennessee, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, which would create one of the most exciting head coach-coordinator duos in the league.

Saleh and McDaniel worked together for four seasons in San Francisco. The latter is still up for HC jobs and has been tied to a few OC positions as well. He would certainly be a prime option to coach Ward given his success revitalizing Tua Tagovailoa‘s career earlier this decade.

Connected to the Tennessee job since Brian Callahan‘s firing, Nagy suddenly stands on unstable terrain. He coached this season without a contract for 2026, and the Chiefs hired his predecessor — Eric Bieniemy — to replace him as OC today. It had looked like Nagy would land in Nashville for a bit, and a second interview being scheduled only reaffirmed that expectation. Now, Nagy — who returned to Kansas City as quarterbacks coach under Bieniemy in 2022 before replacing him in ’23 — is a coaching free agent.

Strunk has struggled with big-picture decisions in recent years. She famously fired GM Jon Robinson months after extending him and then fired Mike Vrabel following the 2023 season. She refrained from a true attempt to trade Vrabel in order to get in on the 2024 HC market from the jump. Her Callahan hire backfired, with the Titans giving him only 23 games. Strunk also fired GM Ran Carthon after two years, hiring Borgonzi. The latter snared roster control from president of football ops Chad Brinker after the 2025 season and ran the coaching search.

It is rather interesting to see the Titans hire Saleh before meeting with Nagy a second time, but they will head in a defensive direction — as they did with Vrabel — with Saleh becoming Borgonzi’s first hire as a GM.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

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Latest On Sean McDermott’s Firing; Ravens, Steelers, Titans Potential Suitors?

By | at January 19, 2026 11:07 pm

The Bills’ 2025 season and Sean McDermott‘s tenure as their head coach ended with a 33-30 divisional round loss to the Broncos on Saturday. McDermott received his walking papers after falling short of a Super Bowl bid for a ninth straight year, but his firing on Monday came as a surprise to him and just about everyone else.

McDermott still believed his job was safe after the Denver game, Tim Graham of The Athletic reports. The 51-year-old continued with business as usual Sunday in conducting exit interviews at One Bills Drive. Owner Terry Pegula canned McDermott a day later and promoted the head coach’s longtime running mate, general manager Brandon Beane, to president of football operations/GM.

Beane will lead the search to replace McDermott, who went an excellent 106-58 (including 8-8 in the playoffs), earned eight playoff berths and won five division titles in his first head coaching stint.

Now one of the most accomplished coaches available, McDermott figures to draw interest from at least some teams with openings. Indeed, there are clubs that “want to move quickly” on McDermott, though some of their key decision-makers were busy conducting in-person meetings with other head coaching candidates on Monday, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

The Dolphins are hiring Jeff Hafley, while the Giants reeled in John Harbaugh and the Falcons brought in Kevin Stefanski. That leaves the Cardinals, Ravens, Browns, Raiders, Steelers and Titans as 2026 possibilities for McDermott. The Ravens, Steelers and Titans may be the most logical fits, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network says.

After eight years with Josh Allen as his quarterback, heading to Baltimore as Harbaugh’s replacement would enable McDermott to work with a second straight MVP-winning signal-caller, Lamar Jackson.

The Steelers don’t have QB figured out for 2026 (Aaron Rodgers‘ return may still be on the table), which could turn off McDermott, but he’d land with a perennial playoff contender. The club didn’t post a sub-.500 record in any of its 19 years under Mike Tomlin, McDermott’s college teammate at William & Mary, and is coming off an AFC North-winning campaign. Hiring McDermott would represent a significant change in course for the Steelers, though. Their only three head coaching choices since 1969 – Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher and then Tomlin – were all 30-somethings with no prior experience in the role.

Baltimore and Pittsburgh typically expect to contend each year, but that hasn’t been the case in Tennessee in recent seasons. The Titans have gone an awful 19-49 during their four-year playoff drought, meaning McDermott or any other potential hire will face a tall task in attempting to lead the franchise back to relevance. It wouldn’t be new territory for McDermott, who arrived in Buffalo in 2017 looking to revive an organization that was mired in a 17-year playoff drought. He guided the Bills back to the playoffs in his first season, the beginning of a long run of success.

The cupboard isn’t bare in Tennessee, which drafted QB Cam Ward No. 1 overall in 2025. The next coaching staff will aim to to develop Ward into a franchise passer. The Titans will also enter the offseason with a boatload of cap space and the No. 4 pick in the draft. A quick turnaround could be in store if the Titans make the right head coaching hire, though it’s unknown if the position appeals to McDermott. For now, Matt Nagy is reportedly the leading candidate for the job.

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Matt Nagy In Lead For Titans’ HC Job?

By | at January 19, 2026 5:35 pm

With Jeff Hafley nearing an agreement to become the Dolphins’ head coach, that leaves one fewer candidate for the Titans. Tennessee had lined up a second interview with Hafley, but the team will have to look elsewhere. It appears the Titans are zeroing in on former Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who “sure feels like” the frontrunner for the job, per Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com.

Nagy’s second interview with the Titans is scheduled for Tuesday. San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is holding his second interview with Tennessee today. Saleh’s clearly still in the running, but it looks as if he’s facing an uphill climb to beat out Nagy for the role.

Unlike Saleh, Nagy has an extensive working relationship with Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi. That may ultimately tip the scales in Nagy’s favor. Borgonzi, who’s leading the Titans’ head coaching search, was a Chiefs employee from 2009-24. Nagy was an important part of the Chiefs’ coaching staff from 2013-17 and again from 2022-25.

While Nagy could remain in Kansas City in 2026, that looks unlikely. With Nagy’s contract up, the Chiefs are expected to hire Eric Bienemy as their offensive coordinator. The Cardinals, Ravens and Raiders have joined the Titans in interviewing Nagy for their head coaching positions. It’s unknown where the 47-year-old will go in 2026 if he’s not a head coach.

If Tennessee or another team hands Nagy the reins, he’ll aim for a longer tenure and better results in his second attempt as an NFL head coach. Nagy coached the Bears to a 34-31 record during a four-year run from 2018-21. He won Coach of the Year in his first season and helped the Bears to the playoffs twice, but an inability to develop a franchise quarterback played a large role in his firing. The Bears went 8-8 or worse in their last three seasons under Nagy, who couldn’t get enough from former first-round QBs Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields.

Nagy has since been part of three AFC-winning teams and two Super Bowl champions in Kansas City, where he has worked with future Hall of Fame signal-caller Patrick Mahomes. However, head coach Andy Reid – not Nagy – has been responsible for calling the offensive plays. Nagy doesn’t plan on calling the plays if he becomes a head coach again (via Mike Garafolo of NFL Network), which will make it all the more crucial for him to identify the right offensive coordinator.

If the Titans choose Nagy, they’ll count on him and his offensive staff to turn Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, into a franchise QB. Ward showed flashes as a rookie, but coaching instability (the team fired Brian Callahan in mid-October and rode out a 3-14 season with Mike McCoy) and a subpar supporting cast led to poor results in 2025.

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Cardinals Scheduled In-Person Interview With Robert Saleh

By | at January 19, 2026 5:28 pm

The Titans have identified Robert Saleh as a finalist for their head coaching vacancy, and they’re apparently not the only organization to move the 49ers DC to the second-round of their interview process. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Saleh is scheduled for an in-person interview with the Cardinals on Tuesday.

[RELATED: Titans To Conduct In-Person Robert Saleh HC Interview]

Saleh emerged as a target for Arizona’s head coaching gig earlier this month. He had his first interview with the Cardinals last Thursday. Since then, the 49ers have been eliminated from the postseason, including an ugly performance this past weekend when the Seahawks offense found the end zone on four occasions. Of course, that singular performance wouldn’t be enough to dissuade teams from considering the former Jets head coach.

While his New York stint didn’t go as planned, Saleh has rehabilitated his image during his first season back in San Francisco. Despite the 49ers missing top defenders like Fred Warner and Nick Bosa for much of the campaign, San Francisco still finished the regular season with a 12-5 record. The defense wasn’t unbeatable; they ranked just 20th in total defense and 13th in points allowed. However, Saleh reinforced his reputation of getting the most out of his defensive personnel.

Saleh’s candidacy in Arizona would likely be dependent on the status of his active interview in Tennessee. The coach is currently interviewing for the Titans job, and there’s a chance the organization doesn’t let him out of the building without a deal. In that scenario, the Cardinals would be forced to pivot to another candidate.

Among those names is Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, who is considered a “strong candidate” for the job. The other definitive and rumored candidates include:

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Jeff Hafley Emerging As Dolphins’ HC Frontrunner

By | at January 18, 2026 11:14 pm

JANUARY 18: Jackson adds in a follow-up report that it is a real possibility Miami does not allow Hafley to leave the building without a contract in hand following his Monday interview. An agent for another candidate tells Jackson that Hafley is the team’s top choice.

In addition to Graham and Hafley, the ‘Fins will have an in-person meeting with Kelvin Sheppard on Monday. The Graham and Sheppard summmits would satisfy the Rooney Rule and thereby make the Dolphins eligible to hire Hafley.

JANUARY 17, 10:05pm: A representative for one of the other candidates connected to the Dolphins’ vacancy told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald he believes the job is Hafley’s to lose at this point. With at least many of the seven remaining HC vacancies likely to be filled in the coming days, this situation will be worth watching closely.

2:08pm: Coming quick off the heels of news that he is being brought in for the second round of the Dolphins‘ interview process, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports that Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has “emerged as a frontrunner” for the head coaching job in Miami. No decisions have been made on either side, but Hafley seems to have the early favor of the Dolphins’ search committee.

Miami and Hafley are still moving forward with their interview processes, as usual, though. This isn’t John Harbaugh cancelling meetings after one in-person interview with the Giants just yet.

The Dolphins have first-round interviews still on the schedule for this weekend and are in the process of setting up more second-round interviews beyond Hafley. It seems, as they’re wrapping up the first round of interviews with Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Sunday and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham on Monday, Hafley will be kicking off the first of multiple in-person, second interviews. Dianna Russini of The Athletic has noted that they’re attempting to get former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski in for his in-person on Wednesday.

We also aren’t aware if the feelings are mutual for Hafley, though; Miami isn’t the only team to have moved him on to the next stage of the interview process, and according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Hafley is expected to be a finalist everywhere he’s interviewed. Pelissero notes that the Titans, Falcons, Raiders, and Cardinals have also requested second interviews for Hafley, and he’s in the process of completing another initial interview today with the Steelers.

In fact, Hafley is scheduled to come to Miami on Monday, and he already has his visit to Tennessee scheduled for the Tuesday, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. The Dolphins are certainly trying to get out ahead of what appears to be a lot of interest in Hafley by scheduling him early and pronouncing their interest very publicly. We’ll see if that tactic earns them any points with Hafley or if it turns on the pressure in his pursuit.

For the other candidates set to interview with Miami, it’s certainly discouraging, assuming Hafley prefers the Dolphins. It’s hard enough to overcome Hafley’s Green Bay ties to Miami’s new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan but adding in his proclamation from the media as an early frontrunner makes it necessary to hope Hafley prefers to be elsewhere. In fact, strangely, the rumor of Hafley being the frontrunner first was leaked by Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, whose source was an agent of one of the several other candidates for the job. After seeing the rumor confirmed by Pelissero this afternoon, seekers of the Miami job will be hoping the Dolphins don’t get their guy.

The only certainty anywhere comes out of Green Bay where Mike Garafolo reports the Packers have begun researching defensive coordinator candidates. While it’s still extremely up in the air where Hafley lands, it’s quite certain that he won’t be coming back to Green Bay. As Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post points out, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator/assistant head coach Jim Leonhard once turned down the Packers’ defensive coordinator position under Matt LaFleur thinking he’d be at Wisconsin long-term. Having since moved on from the Badgers, one would think Leonhard’s name would come up in Green Bay relatively soon.

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Titans To Conduct In-Person Robert Saleh HC Interview

By | at January 18, 2026 5:58 pm

Robert Saleh was originally slated to interview with the Titans today. That will no longer be the case, but not because the 49ers‘ defensive coordinator is out of the running.

Tennessee has moved the Saleh interview to tomorrow, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Had the parties spoken today, they would have needed to do so virtually due to the rules governing HC interviews. Instead, Saleh will now be able to meet with the Titans in person given the timing of his summit.

Tennessee lined up a trio of finalists yesterday: Kevin Stefanski, Jeff Hafley and Matt Nagy. The Falcons have since hired Stefanski, however, while Hafley appears to be the top option in Miami. Nagy has long loomed as a logical fit in this case, but at least one other candidate will receive a look. Nagy is set to conduct his second interview Monday morning, per Rapoport, while Saleh’s initial sit-down will take place in the afternoon.

Despite the fact Saleh was not among the three staffers to receive a request regarding an in-person interview, he resided as a potential finalist. Today’s update thus comes as no surprise. The 49ers lost last night, ending their season. Saleh’s attention can now turn fully to his potential return to the NFL’s head coaching ranks.

The 46-year-old saw his Jets run come to an end midway through its fourth season (2024). Saleh’s New York teams posted a losing record every year in which he was at the helm; overall, his tenure produced a mark of 20-36. In a year comparatively short on bluechip first-time head coaching candidates, however, Saleh is among the many former HCs potentially in line to receive a second opportunity.

The Titans’ decision to fire Mike Vrabel has not yielded success on the field or stability in the organization. Brian Callahan was dismissed before finishing his second year with the team, and a front office now led by Mike Borgonzi and Chad Brinker is in place to find his replacement. Nagy and Borgonzi worked together in Kansas City, and a reunion in Tennessee is something to watch for. Saleh – who is also in the running for other positions – will also take part in an in-person interview, however. With a Hafley summit currently scheduled for Tuesday, the next few days will be critical in the case of the Titans.

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