The Titans have expanded their head-coaching search to more than 15 candidates, with several more on the horizon. Several big names have appeared before the search committee to land the coveted job in Nashville. Tennessee’s search committee, led by GM Mike Borgonzi, is thorough to say the least. The Athletic’s Diana Russini produced the schedule for a search that enters its second week of interviews.
The Titans’ upcoming interview schedule:
Tuesday — Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter
Wednesday — Mike McDaniel
Friday — Brian Daboll
Saturday — Mike McCarthy
Sunday — Jonathan Gannon, Robert SalehArthur Smith is expected this week as well.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 13, 2026
Tennessee Titans Expand Head Coaching Search In Second Week
Tennessee launched its search with several distinguished candidates who were confirmed to have interviewed last week. Names include Denver DC Vance Joseph and the Kansas City coordinators, Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo. Kevin Stefanski is a hot name on the carousel with several interviews completed after being relieved of his duties in Cleveland. If nothing else, Mr. Borgonzi and company are diligently turning over every possible stone to find Tennessee’s next coach.
Who are the candidates expected to interview this week?
- 49ers DC Robert Saleh
- Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon
- Chargers DC Jesse Minter
- Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy
- Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel
- Giants HC Brian Daboll
- Packers DC Jef Hafley
- Steelers OC Arthur Smith
When are They Happening?
Hafley + Minter
The Packers’ defensive coordinator reportedly interviewed on Tuesday after Green Bay stunningly blew a tremendous lead on Saturday night. Hafley is an esteemed defensive mind who led a top-tier defense before the injuries devastated the unit. Tennessee’s committee may have questions about the outcome of the playoff game against the Bears. He must answer for the Packers’ inability to perform against the Bears twice when it mattered most. The former Boston College coach brings the head-coaching experience Borgonzi seeks, albeit at the college level. As with all defensive minds, he has to provide Tennessee with a blueprint for an offensive staff to develop Cam Ward. Green Bay’s defensive coordinator is interviewing with multiple teams.
Minter, the highly touted Harbaugh and national title-winning assistant, interviewed on Tuesday. The Chargers were eliminated by the Patriots after a putrid offensive performance that left Justin Herbert battered and bruised. LA’s stop unit featured talents such as the ascendant Daiyan Henley, Tuli Tuipulotu, Jamaree Caldwell, and Tarheeb Still. He married the young veterans and the ageless wonders like Khalil Mack, Denzel Perryman, and Tony Jefferson flawlessly. Minter is one of the best defensive minds in the league and an emerging head-coaching candidate who should receive a top job soon. The biggest question is whether he can go outside the Harbaugh tree for offensive assistants, given his limited Rolodex.
McDaniel
Outside of Harbaugh and Stefanski, McDaniel is the most high-profile name on the market, and the Titans are clearly interested. He’s interviewing for the job in person on Wednesday afternoon, which indicates mutual interest in getting things done. The former Dolphins head coach is known for his personality quirks and prowess as a playcaller. Miami fired him after a substandard 2025 season that saw them drop to seven wins. The Dolphins missed the playoffs in two consecutive seasons after a breakthrough 11-win campaign in 2023.
McDaniel is an offensive savant with varied experience across the Shanahan/McVay tree. He’s an elaborate play designer who can open up many opportunities for his players. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa thrived in his system when he was healthy and functional. One suspects that Cam Ward will do the same under McDaniel if the Titans choose to hire him. The question about McDaniel will be on the defensive side of the ball. What has he learned from the Miami experience? Perhaps a softer market like Nashville would be more his speed than the bustling activity of South Beach.
Smith
Smith is a man who needs no introduction to Tennessee, as he served in a variety of roles before ascending to the OC job in the late 2010s and early 2020s. He led the Titans’ offense to great heights under Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry before it fizzled out with Mike Vrabel’s firing. Smith previously served as the Falcons’ head coach before joining the Steelers under Mike Tomlin. He has certainly angered many fantasy owners with his player usage over the years, namely giving unknowns more reps over more accomplished peers. However, his stint in Tennessee was wildly successful before he moved on. Smith remains highly regarded by the franchise, despite the front office change. His work with Aaron Rodgers will be an interesting case study. According to ESPN’s Turron Davenport, Smith will have a virtual interview rather than an in-person one at this juncture.
Daboll
Daboll was the second head coach fired during this year’s coaching carousel behind Tennessee’s own Brian Callahan regime change. He endured a rocky tenure in the Big Apple but was seemingly on the right track with presumptive All-Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Daboll’s biggest failure, among other things, was the inability to keep leads, losing a majority of them in 2025. He’s an offense-based coach by nature, but his personality can be grating to some people. After Daboll was fired, the Giants named Mike Kafka interim coach, but the results did not merit Kafka receiving the permanent job. If Daboll can prove to front offices that his quirks can be limited, he could be an intriguing offensive coordinator candidate. He will interview on Friday.
McCarthy
The former Dallas head coach is bandied about as a candidate for the vacancy due to his ties with the President of Football Operations, Chad Brinker. The two are connected through the Green Bay franchise: McCarthy served as head coach while Brinker was an executive there. McCarthy is an accomplished head coach with a solid CV if you dig deeper into the weeds of his Cowboys tenure. Dak Prescott became the name brand he is today, and the Cowboys’ offense was highly rated during his tenure. However, McCarthy needed a reset and took the 2025 season off after an arduous relationship with the Cowboys ended badly. He could be an interview that provides a cursory look into how he handled the development of Prescott and how it can be applied to Ward.
Gannon + Saleh
Gannon, most recently the Cardinals’ head coach, is a defensive specialist by trade and could never get going with Kyler Murray. The Titans saw him up close and personal during the 2025 season, which resulted in a Tennessee win after a cavalcade of mental errors by Arizona. His tenure in the desert started promisingly but fell apart in 2025 with nine straight losses, often in blowout fashion. He is scheduled to interview on Sunday. Gannon’s interview session is most likely an intelligence gathering operation by the Tennessee staff.
Saleh recovered a good bit of falling stock after leaving the disastrous Jets franchise in a familiar setting. His defense, comically injured beyond recognition, carries the day for the 49ers. He has a reputation for a superstar defensive mind and has shown it more than ever in 2025. If he can explain why and how his Jets tenure failed to the search committee, Saleh should be one of the favorites for the job. The offensive staff he can assemble is far-ranging, given the popularity of the Shanahan/McVay tree. Can he answer the fundamental question of which offensive staff he could bring along with him to develop the quarterback? Tennessee’s defense needs a makeover, but it has building blocks with an all-time Titans legend. He will interview on Sunday, following the 49ers divisional clash with Seattle on Saturday.
Who could be the favorite heading into the weekend?
The media continues to tab Chiefs OC Matt Nagy as the favorite to become the next head coach, but several names could usurp him. Namely, John Harbaugh, who hasn’t scheduled an in-person interview yet but has interest. Tennessee is a contender for his services due to Borgonzi’s reputation, the intriguing passer Cam Ward, and $100 million in cap space. McDaniel, Stefanski, Saleh, and Harbaugh (if he can get to the interview) have to be the leaders in the clubhouse. Darkhorse candidates include Minter, Smith, Joseph, and Morris, with sleepers like Kingsbury and Gannon on the periphery.
Are there any more candidates?
After a whopping list of candidates, which could be over 20 names when it’s all said and done, the second round must begin at some point. No one can blame Tennessee for not being thorough in its search, given the number of candidates vying for the position. It will be interesting to see the discernment between in-person and virtual interviews. They have clearly prioritized prior head-coaching experience in their search. Whoever ends up with the job must have an action plan to develop the offense under Ward.
Main Photo: [Denny Simmons/The Tennessean] – Imagn Images