Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy Justin Edmonds/GettyImages

Interim HC Hasn't Cleaned Up Titans' Issues

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Lane Mills | Last updated Nov 3, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans fired Mike Vrabel in January of 2024 after he'd served as the team's head coach for six seasons, a few of which represented the absolute best of the franchise in recent memory. In his wake, Brian Callahan, the former Bengals offensive coordinator, was brought in to take the wheel.

Lost in Translation

After Callahan had called the Cincinnati offense that made a Super Bowl - even if they lost it to the Los Angeles Rams - he was seen as a hot up-and-comer among coaching candidates in the NFL. Initially, Tennessee's decision to sign his name on the dotted line was, at least, understandable.

Although it did take long for a harsh reality to hit the team in the form of Callahan's many coaching woes. In 23 games at the helm, before being fired just six games into this current season, Callahan posted an abysmal 4-19 record. Consistently, fans were shocked by the HC's mishandling of team affairs, blunt declarations in postgame press conferences and overt failure to produce results out of a roster that, while ever-changing, had undeniable talent.

Upon his departure, the team settled on senior offensive assistant, and former NFL HC himself, Mike McCoy as the interim option. While he won't be in the driver's seat forever, McCoy's time in an elevated role for Tennessee has seemingly only made things worse.

Waving Hands and Pointing Fingers

Not only are the Titans winless since his taking hold of the head-man position - an unlikely condition, even considering his temporary state in the spot - but the team has only appeared to grow more disheveld and inconsistent in the aftermath of removing what had been their perceived main problem.

McCoy hasn't helped his case with bizarre coaching choices, especially on the offensive end, and blunt answers in press conferences when he's confronted with the team's shortcomings.

"The defense stopped them," he remarked passively, in response to an inquiry about the team's insistence on snapping the ball directly to the running back in short-yardage scenarios. McCoy accompanied his four-word answer with a hand wave and, whether or not he meant to, an apparent disregard for why specifically this unorthodox method wasn't working beyond it being the offensive staff's decision to employ it.

Whatever positive change Tennessee expected to bring in relying on McCoy after Callahan's firing, it surely hasn't yet yielded. The team's future is entirely dependent on who they bring in on a more permanent basis to take control of what is, and has long been, a sinking ship.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: