The Tennessee Titans fired Brian Callahan on October 13, 2025, ending his brief tenure after just 23 games. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky quickly named four potential replacements, including a former Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Who Did Dan Orlovsky Suggest for the Titans’ Job?
Dan Orlovsky’s social media post listed Mike McCarthy, Joe Brady, Vance Joseph, and Jesse Minter as his top candidates to replace Callahan. The ESPN analyst shared his picks shortly after the Pat McAfee Show broadcast, during which the firing was announced.
Adam Schefter appeared on the show an hour before the news broke, telling McAfee he didn’t forecast any coaching changes in the near future. Minutes after that conversation ended, the Titans pulled the trigger on Callahan.
Joe Brady
Mike McCarthy
Vance Joseph
Minter https://t.co/lZ7xzlfWJH— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) October 13, 2025
Orlovsky’s list makes sense, considering what the coaches have done for their teams.
The Four Coaching Candidates in-depth
Mike McCarthy
McCarthy brings the most head coaching experience of the names listed. The 61-year-old won Super Bowl XLV with Green Bay and compiled 174 career victories across stints with the Packers and Cowboys. He went 49-35 in five seasons with Dallas before Jerry Jones declined to renew his contract after a 7-10 season in 2024.
According to PFSN’s Alex Kennedy, McCarthy’s teams excelled in close games, ranking fifth in winning percentage in one-score contests from 2020 to 2024 with a 22-16 record. Dallas also posted the second-best fourth-quarter point differential during his tenure at plus-153. McCarthy’s ability to win in crunch time could provide immediate stability for a Titans team that lost several tight games this season. He’s available immediately with no buyout required.
Joe Brady
Brady could be exactly what rookie quarterback Cam Ward needs. Despite a less talented supporting cast, the 36-year-old turned Josh Allen into an MVP candidate as Buffalo’s passing game coordinator.
Brady previously helped Joe Burrow win a national championship at LSU in 2019, proving he can develop young quarterbacks into elite players. His modern schemes emphasize quick reads and receiver spacing, which could unlock Ward’s potential in ways Callahan’s system never did.
Vance Joseph
Joseph went 11-21 as Denver’s head coach from 2017 to 2018, but he’s rebuilt his reputation as one of the league’s top defensive coordinators. His units in Miami, Arizona, and Denver consistently ranked among the NFL’s elite.
The Titans’ defense, of course, has room for improvement even on the better side of the ball. Joseph’s aggressive, multiple-front schemes generate pressure and turnovers while maximizing available talent, which Tennessee desperately needs.
Jesse Minter
Minter has coordinated three straight dominant defenses and could build on Tennessee’s defensive foundation. After leading Michigan’s defense during their 2023 national championship run, he revived the Chargers’ unit in his first NFL season as coordinator.
Los Angeles ranks first in scoring defense despite returning largely the same personnel from 2023’s disappointing team. The 42-year-old learned under John Harbaugh in Baltimore, where the Ravens posted a top-10 scoring defense every season from 2018 to 2020. His ability to quickly turn around struggling units makes him an intriguing young option.
Why Did the Tennessee Titans Fire Brian Callahan?
Callahan’s 4-19 record made him one of the NFL’s least successful coaches in recent history. Tennessee president Chad Brinker cited insufficient growth as the reason, despite the organization’s commitment to a patient rebuilding plan.
The offense failed to develop either Will Levis or rookie quarterback Cam Ward. According to PFSN’s rankings, Tennessee’s offense earned an F grade with a 53.2 Offensive Impact score, ranking 32nd nationally. The defense performed better with a C-minus grade and 70.6 Defensive Impact score, ranking 23rd nationally this season.
A humiliating 26-0 shutout loss to Houston in Week 4 accelerated the decision. Callahan gave up play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree after starting 0-3, but the change produced no meaningful improvement. The team managed just one victory against Arizona before losing to the Raiders in what became Callahan’s final game.
The Titans haven’t named an interim coach yet. Senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy seems to be the logical choice, given his experience leading San Diego from 2013 to 2016. Tennessee became the first team to fire its head coach during the 2025 season, marking the quickest hook for a coach since Ken Whisenhunt in 2015.