Tennessee Titans interim head coach Mike McCoy speaks to the media during his first press conference. Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Why Mike McCoy is Right Choice For Titans

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The Tennessee Titans are asking Mike McCoy to step in as the interim head coach, replacing Brian Callahan after he was fired following the team's 1-5 start to the season.

McCoy, 53, has head coaching experience with the San Diego Chargers from 2013-16, which should help the Titans tremendously as they navigate the final 11 games of the season.

"(My past experience) is invaluable," McCoy said via team reporter Jim Wyatt.

"Because nobody knows until you're in this role. You think you're ready, you got no clue. There's so many things that come up on a daily basis that you have to deal with. And I was young back in 2013 when I first got the job in San Diego. And the things that came across my desk, I'm like, 'I've got to answer this? What are you talking about? Isn't that his job to do that?'

"You're the head coach. So there's just so many things, whether it's the practice schedules, it's game days, it's the offseason, it is travel. There's so many things you have to do and then with the roster, players, families, gameday, there's so many things that come up. But that's my four years working with a great organization, and the way we worked together and the way the Spanos family treated me, Tom Telesco and stuff, I've learned so much from them and it's going to really help me in my situation now."

After offensive line coach Bill Callahan resigned following his son's departure, McCoy became the only person on the coaching staff with previous head coaching experience. McCoy was hired this past offseason to be a senior offensive analyst.

While he didn't expect to be thrust into the position to be a head coach, he is ready for the challenge.

"I'm a leader. I love to lead. I love to work with the players, work with coaches, work with the entire organization," McCoy said via Wyatt.

"We've got great people here in the organization. There's so many good people, not just the coaching staff and the players, I'm talking the entire organization as a whole. Like I said, I love coming to work every day. It doesn't matter who it's with, what department it's with, we got great people here.

"And that's what I love, being a part of that and being able to lead everybody. And it's an honor and it's a privilege to be standing here in front of you guys today saying that I'm going to lead this organization."

McCoy wouldn't mind removing the interim tag from his title at the end of the season, so in order to do that, he will have to do his best to coach a roster that has struggled to begin the year.

It remains to be seen if McCoy will be the right person moving forward, but he is who the Titans have, and need, right now.

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

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