Tennessee parted ways with former head coach Brian Callahan just six games into his second season, leaving a significant void as the franchise now searches for a leader to guide quarterback Cam Ward and the Titans through the 2026 season. While a variety of candidates remain under consideration, the focus has primarily shifted to those with prior NFL head coaching experience and strong connections to the front office.
Vance Joseph
Vance Joseph, 53, has received an interview request from the Titans while leading an elite Denver Broncos defense into the playoffs as defensive coordinator.
Despite being fired by the Broncos in 2018 after back-to-back losing seasons as a head coach, he rejoined the franchise in 2023 and has since reframed his legacy, leading a top-tier defensive unit that consistently steps up whenever Denver’s offense needs it most.
Joseph, a former NFL defensive back, coached his position as an assistant with the San Francisco 49ers (2005-2010), Houston Texans (2011-2013), and Cincinnati Bengals (2014-2015) before taking his first defensive coordinator role with the Miami Dolphins in 2016.
In between his stints with Denver, Joseph served as the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. Benefiting from Joseph’s leadership, the Broncos finished their 2025 regular season with a 14-3 record, securing the AFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time in a decade.
Matt Nagy
Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs and two-time Super Bowl champion (LVII, LVIII), has quickly emerged as a leading candidate in Tennessee. Nagy’s strong connection to Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi dates back over a decade, when Nagy first joined Kansas City as quarterbacks coach, and Borgonzi was named assistant director of pro scouting in 2013.
Their relationship deepened as Borgonzi was promoted to co-director of player personnel in 2015, while Nagy stepped into the offensive coordinator role in 2016.
In 2018, Nagy left Kansas City to take his first head coaching job with the Chicago Bears, while Borgonzi advanced to director of football operations in the same year. After a 34-31 (.523) run with the Bears, Nagy returned to the Chiefs in 2022, and by then, Borgonzi had already been promoted to assistant general manager.
With such a strong history together, it’s clear that the Borgonzi-Nagy relationship maintains a high level of respect, a key factor in any potential partnership.
Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury, 46, is expected to be near the top of Tennessee’s list, given his track record as a quarterback developer. The former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator, who mutually agreed with head coach Dan Quinn on leaving the organization Tuesday, has impressively helped guide Jayden Daniels and Kyler Murray in NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year campaigns, as well as Patrick Mahomes’ rise at Texas Tech.
During his four seasons as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals (2019-2022), Kingsbury went 28-37-1 (.432) and made one Wild Card appearance.
Despite signing a multi-year extension with the Cardinals in 2022, he was fired after the team finished 4-13 and joined the USC Trojans the following year. As USC’s senior offensive analyst under head coach Lincoln Riley, Kingsbury notably worked with Chicago Bears quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
He was then hired to run the Commanders’ offense in 2024 and immediately helped the franchise tie its second-most total points in a season.
Steve Spagnuolo
Steve Spagnuolo was also listed among the Titans’ interview requests, which now include both Kansas City coordinators.
The 66-year-old, four-time Super Bowl champion coach (XLII, LIV, LVII, LVIII), landed his first NFL coordinator role in 2007 with the New York Giants, an opportunity led to an improbable ring and set the stage for his hiring as head coach of the St. Louis Rams in 2009. Spagnuolo’s run with the Rams ultimately ended in 2011 after an abysmal 10-38 record (.208) at the helm.
Following stints with the New Orleans Saints (2012, defensive coordinator) and Baltimore Ravens (2013-2014, senior defensive assistant/secondary coach), Spagnuolo returned to the Giants in 2015 as defensive coordinator and was later named interim head coach in 2017.
Following a 1-3 finish as the interim, he was not retained and remained out of the league until 2019, when he accepted the position of defensive coordinator with the Chiefs. Spagnuolo has coached in seven Super Bowls across three different franchises throughout his career, including five with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played a crucial role in building the latest NFL dynasty.
Kevin Stefanski
Kevin Stefanski, 43, is expected to speak with the Giants, Falcons, and Titans about their head coach vacancies, according to ESPN Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Stefanski was fired Monday after six seasons as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, a tenure that resulted in a 45-56 (.446) record, including a five-win season in 2025.
However, he won two AP NFL Coach of the Year awards (2020, 2023) with the Browns and remains a highly respected candidate in the current coaching carousel.
Before his time in Cleveland, Stefanski built his reputation within the Minnesota Vikings organization from 2006 to 2019, progressing through roles as assistant to the head coach, assistant quarterbacks coach, tight ends coach, running backs coach, quarterbacks coach, and offensive coordinator.
Lou Anarumo
Along with reports of the Titans requesting to interview Joseph, Nagy, and Spagnuolo, Lou Anarumo was also listed as one of the coaches set to interview with Tennessee.
The 59-year-old Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator brings previous experience as a defensive backs coach for the Miami Dolphins (2012-2017) and the New York Giants (2018), as well as serving as defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2019 to 2024.
Anarumo has an extensive college coaching background, too, having served as an assistant at Wagner (1989), Syracuse (1990-1991), Merchant Marine (1992-1994), Harvard (1995-2000), Marshall (2001-2003), and Purdue (2004-2011).
Indianapolis, an AFC South rival to the Titans, finished No. 21 in points allowed per game and No. 23 in yards allowed per game in 2025 under Anarumo, while missing the playoffs despite a 7-1 start.
Raheem Morris
Former Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, 49, is already scheduled to interview with the Titans for their vacant head coach position later this week, according to ESPN NFL analyst Peter Schrager.
Morris, who the Falcons fired on Monday after back-to-back 8-9 seasons, holds a 37-56 (.398) record as an NFL head coach between stops in Tampa Bay (2009-2011) and Atlanta (2020, 2024-2025). He is also a two-time Super Bowl champion as a coach, with one title coming as a defensive assistant with the Buccaneers in 2003 (XXXVII) and the other nearly 20 years later as the Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator in 2022 (LVI).
