Ten Head Coaching Candidates the Titans Should Consider

There are definitely coordinators with no head coaching experience out there that have potential to lead the Titans to the playoffs, but hiring someone like McCarthy with 17 years of head coaching experience would be ideal. If he played a major role in guiding Rodgers through the decorated career he has had, he can do the same with Ward.

Another thing worth noting is that the current Titans president of football operations, Chad Brinker, worked in the Packers’ scouting department for 10 years during McCarthy’s tenure. That connection could be something to keep an eye on when the search really heats up.

Kliff Kingsbury

One of the people who helped lead Washington Commanders quarterback and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels to such a successful season last year was offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Under Kingsbury’s guidance, Daniels was named Offensive Rookie of the Year last year and set a couple of NFL records, including the highest completion percentage by a rookie and the most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback.

The Commanders’ offense as a whole totaled 485 points last season, which not only ranked top five in the league that year but also tied for second in franchise history.

Kingsbury has head coaching experience at both the collegiate and professional levels. He was the head coach for his alma mater, Texas Tech, from 2013-18 and led the Red Raiders to an 8-5 record and a bowl win in his first season. He worked with current NFL stars Patrick Mahomes and Baker Mayfield during his time there.

From 2019-22, he coached the Arizona Cardinals, and he led them to an 11-6 record and a Wild Card berth in 2021.

Similar to Joe Brady, Kingsbury was a name that many teams considered during last year’s coaching cycle, but he chose to stay in Washington and keep working with Daniels.

Many publications, including CBS Sports and Sports Illustrated, have mentioned him as a candidate who would be worth pursuing during this year’s cycle if he chooses to take another head coaching position. His experience and proven ability to help quarterbacks blossom are things the Titans are in dire need of.

Arthur Smith

This one is a name that should be familiar to most Titans fans. Current Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith held that same role for the Titans from 2019-20 and called plays during the AFC Championship season.

The 2019 Titans scored more points than the team had in 16 years, and players such as Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry had breakout seasons. In 2020, the team won its first AFC South title since 2008, and Henry was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year.

The success of the offense under Smith’s guidance led him to get the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, but he was fired following the 2023 season after going 7-10 three times. He was hired by the Steelers a month later, and they ranked 16th in the league in points per game last season while earning a Wild Card berth.

Smith had been on the Titans’ coaching staff in various roles since 2011, so his familiarity with the organization might be a key factor in the hiring cycle. Even though he has not had as much success recently, his incredible run from 5-6 years ago could still be replicated if he utilizes his talent correctly.

Brian Flores

Another coach that has been mentioned as a replacement who has previous head coaching experience is Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

After spending 15 seasons with the New England Patriots’ organization, including four that ended in Super Bowl titles, the Miami Dolphins hired him as their head coach in 2019. Miami posted winning records in 2020 and 2021 under his leadership, but failed to make the playoffs both years.

His firing following the 2021 season came as a surprise to many because he seemed to have carried the Dolphins to a decent place. He was hired by Mike Tomlin to be the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach a month later, and he held that position for a year before joining the Vikings.

Last season, the Vikings’ defense ranked second in the league in rush yards allowed per game with 93.4. The unit was also fifth in points allowed per game (19.5) and tied for third in turnover differential (+12).

An offensive-minded coach is preferable for the current situation the Titans are in, but after spending a few years under successful head coaches, Flores definitely could have what it takes to lead a team to the playoffs.

Jesse Minter

Another current defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter, is in his second season with the Los Angeles Chargers under Jim Harbaugh.

Minter is notable for his two-year tenure as defensive coordinator at the University of Michigan. The Wolverines won a National Championship in 2023, his second season in the role.

Also during that year, Minter served as Michigan’s interim head coach for the first game of the year and posted a 30-3 victory over East Carolina. After the National Championship victory, Harbaugh jumped back up to the pros and took on the Chargers job, and Minter followed him from frigid Michigan to sunny L.A.

The Chargers’ defense finished seventh in the league in pass yards allowed per game and 11th in total yards allowed per game last year. So far this season, they rank sixth in pass yards allowed and seventh in total yards allowed while sitting atop the AFC West.

Similar to Flores, Minter would be capable of taking the Titans to stardom again despite specializing in defense. He is likely to acquire a head coaching position this offseason, whether it be for the Titans or another team in need, so fans should keep his name on the radar.

Klint Kubiak

The son of longtime NFL coach Gary Kubiak, Klint Kubiak is currently thriving in his first year as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator.

His offense ranks fourth in the league in pass yards allowed per game and 10th in total yards allowed per game so far this year.

Before being hired by the Seahawks, Kubiak was the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, a year that ended in a Super Bowl berth for them. That successful season led to his first offensive coordinator job with the New Orleans Saints.

Many people were unsure whether quarterback Sam Darnold would perform well in Seattle after signing a three-year, $100.5 million contract this offseason. He has shone under Kubiak’s guidance, though, as he ranks third in the league in passing yards and has completed nearly 71% of his passes.

Despite never having been a head coach, Kubiak has the potential to be a great fit for the Titans’ role and a key figure in developing Ward. He is another young coach, at only 38, who likely has a lengthy career ahead of him.

Chris Shula

Coaching runs in Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula’s family. His grandfather Don is the all-time winningest coach in NFL history, his father Dave was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 1992-96, and his uncle Mike coached at Alabama for four years immediately before Nick Saban’s tenure and is currently the offensive coordinator at South Carolina.

The younger Shula has been on Sean McVay’s staff in L.A. since McVay was first hired in 2017. He was a linebackers coach for the 2021 Super Bowl-winning team and held pass game and pass rush coordinator roles for the next two years before being promoted to defensive coordinator.

His defense held the surging Vikings to nine points in the Wild Card round of last year’s playoffs. This year, the unit ranks seventh in the league in points allowed per game and eighth in total yards per game, and is also one of four defenses to record at least 10 takeaways.

A large number of coaches to come from McVay’s tree have had solid tenures as head coaches in the NFL, such as Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor, Kevin O’Connell, Brandon Staley, Raheem Morris, and Liam Coen. Shula has done an exemplary job in the defensive coordinator role, and he has what it takes to be the next success story from that tree.

Josh Grizzard

At only 35 years old, Josh Grizzard is one of the youngest potential hires in the next coaching cycle. He is in his first season in a major coordinator role, having been promoted to offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after last season.

Grizzard spent seven seasons with the Miami Dolphins organization from 2017-23 in quality control and receivers coach roles. Todd Bowles hired him to be the Bucs’ pass game coordinator in February 2024, and he earned the promotion to offensive coordinator this past offseason after Liam Coen departed to become the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield had an amazing year in 2024 while Grizzard was pass game coordinator, tossing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He is shaping up to continue that success this season with Grizzard in a bigger role.

As of Week 6, he ranks fourth in the league in passing yards (1,539) and is tied for third in passing touchdowns (12).

Grizzard has proven his coaching abilities very quickly, and he might be a young coach worth taking a chance on. His effect on Mayfield could very well transfer to a young quarterback like Ward, who needs it most.

Eddie George

The possibility of the Titans hiring franchise Ring of Honor member Eddie George is a long shot, but it is realistic.

George enjoyed eight years as a running back for the Titans/Oilers franchise and recorded 1,304 yards on the ground in the year of the team’s only ever Super Bowl appearance. His jersey number now hangs in the rafters at Nissan Stadium as a recognition of his accomplishments.

In April 2021, George was hired as the head coach at Tennessee State University, which plays their home games at the same stadium he did in the NFL, despite having no previous coaching experience.

The Tigers had endured three consecutive losing seasons as George took over, but by his fourth season, he had completely turned things around. TSU went 9-4 (6-2 OVC-Big South) in 2024 and earned a spot in the FCS Tournament for the first time since 2013.

While at TSU, George developed a philosophy called “GUTS,” an acronym for gumption, understanding, tenacity, and sacrifice. It worked well enough for him that he was able to make the leap from an FCS school to the FBS this past offseason, as Bowling Green State University hired him as their head coach in March.

George has posted a 3-3 record at Bowling Green so far this year. The Falcons defeated Lafayette 26-7 in his debut with the team in August and upset Liberty 23-13 last month.

It may seem unlikely for George to jump straight to an NFL head coaching position after no previous pro coaching experience and only one year at the FBS level. He interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching position in January of this year, though, so the stage is at least somewhat set already.

Even if some would be unsure of his ability to succeed as a head coach in the NFL, there is no doubt that many fans would be excited to see a franchise legend take on the role.

He would bring an amount of passion that would be tough for any other candidate to match, and a name like George as head coach could possibly reinvigorate hype around the team needed before the new stadium opens in 2027.