The Tennessee Titans‘ 2025 season is officially over, so now the sprint toward the team’s coaching hire shifts into full focus.

The Titans completed another 3-14 season with a loss in Jacksonville on Jan. 4, and with that, general manager Mike Borgonzi will conduct his first coaching search. Following the franchise’s decision to restructure front office roles and put Borgonzi in charge of the 53-man roster and coaching staff, the process will be flavored by his preferences and experience.

Speaking in November during his most recent news conference, he listed a few qualifications he’ll value in a candidate: organizational fit, leadership traits, ability to keep a working relationship with the GM. He said there’s no requirement to hire someone with an offensive background or a defensive background. Scheme won’t be the primary consideration; finding a magnetic, motivating leader will be.

The Titans can begin conducting interviews with coaches employed by other NFL teams this week. The Tennessean expects the Titans to conduct virtual interviews with roughly 12 to 15 candidates in the preliminary round. With Borgonzi’s qualifications in mind, and with the expected candidate pool being what it is, here are 15 candidates who The Tennessean anticipates may or will get interviews with Borgonzi and the Titans’ leadership team.

Note: Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name, not by worthiness or likelihood of being hired.

Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator, Indianapolis Colts

In one major way, Anarumo’s going to be a tough sell for Titans fans. He was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati throughout former Titans coach Brian Callahan’s tenure as offensive coordinator, and hiring back-to-back candidates from the same system when the first one flamed out in less than two years isn’t a great PR move. But Anarumo’s a respected defensive schemer and a well-regarded leader who fits the top criteria Borgonzi has spoken about during stops in Miami, Indianapolis and yes, Cincinnati.

Joe Brady, offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills

The hype surrounding Brady’s name has cooled a little bit this season as the Bills’ offense has dropped to only . . . fifth in the league in yards and sixth in scoring. Yes, down years look different when you’re the coach tasked with calling plays for MVP quarterback Josh Allen. Brady’s experience working with Allen and Joe Burrow, plus his early-career opportunities learning from Sean Payton, still make him one of the top first-time offensive candidates available, albeit in a down year for offensive candidates all around.

Matt Burke, defensive coordinator, Houston Texans

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans handed defensive play-calling responsibilities over to Burke, his top deputy, toward the end of September. Since then, the Texans have gone 12-2 while allowing just 17 points per game. They own the NFL’s No. 1 defense in points allowed, total defense and first downs allowed, and rank top five in yards allowed per play, pass defense, run defense and third-down defense. The talent deserves a lot of the credit here. But remember: This Texans team was 0-3 before Burke took over calling the defense.

Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator, Green Bay Packers

Hafley has college head coaching experience from four years at Boston College before taking over the Packers’ defense. The Packers didn’t put up the video game stats Houston did, but Hafley’s coordinated a consistent top-10 defense, and one that’s been stellar against the pass at that. His proximity to coaches like Matt LaFleur, Kyle Shanahan, Urban Meyer and Greg Schiano points toward the leadership traits the Titans covet.

Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator, Denver Broncos

Joseph’s two-year tenure as Broncos’ head coach wasn’t disastrous, but it certainly was a failure. His teams went 11-21, and his offenses always ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring. But he still coached one top-five defense, and his defensive bona fides continue into the present. No defense allows fewer yards per play or registers a higher sack rate than Joseph’s in Denver in 2025. He can enable and motivate players to create havoc, something that’s been missing from the Titans defense for four years now.

Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator, Washington Commanders

Kingsbury’s tenure in Arizona didn’t necessarily scream “coach who’ll get a second chance someday.” But it’s hard to deny someone who’s had a hand in the development of so many top-notch quarterbacks: Baker Mayfield, Patrick Mahomes, Kyler Murray, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels. Heck, he just won a couple of games down the stretch with Josh Johnson and Marcus Mariota. If the plan is to build around someone who can put Cam Ward in good positions to succeed, Kingsbury needs to get a look at the very least.

Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator, Seattle Seahawks

A young, offensive-minded, first-time coach with a famous last name. Might not be the archetype Titans fans are thrilled to chase twice in three years. But Kubiak’s not winning with Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He helped Seattle earn the No. 1 seed in his first year coaching Sam Darnold with virtually no receiver depth behind star Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He’s the latest disciple of the Shanahan tree poised to get a head coaching opportunity, and likely the hottest offensive candidate on the market among candidates who’ve never been head coaches.

Mike McCarthy, former head coach

The Titans technically could’ve interviewed McCarthy for this job at any point since he’s not working in the league. But don’t confuse patience with ignorance. McCarthy’s a Super Bowl champion who coached high-flying offenses in Green Bay and Dallas. He’s not as cutting edge as he was 15 years ago, but he still coached three straight 12-win teams in the 2020s. He’s been to the playoffs more time as a head coach than the Titans have as an organization since moving to Tennessee. It’d be malpractice to not even consider him.

Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator, Los Angeles Chargers

Mike Macdonald’s quick success in Seattle is a great indicator for Minter, a coach who’s followed an almost identical path up the coaching ladder. A defensive mind who’s led units in both college and the pros while working for Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh, Minter’s leading one of the toughest and stingiest units in the league with the Chargers. There are no guarantees Minter can capture Macdonald’s magic the same way, but he’s every bit the quality candidate Macdonald was two years ago.

Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs

It’s the most convenient match. Nagy’s pre-existing relationship with Borgonzi from their two stints in Kansas City together is tough to ignore. The pro-con list is immense, starting with the complicated history of coaches and GMs being hired because of preexisting relationships. Nagy had a winning record across his four years in Chicago, but he did so thanks in large part to strong defense, not offense as is his expertise. He failed to develop quarterbacks Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields, but both flopped after leaving Chicago as well, taking some blame away from Nagy. He’s not a primary play-caller in Kansas City, but he says he won’t push to do that in a future job either. The baggage is complicated, but if Nagy’s learned from his mistakes in Chicago, he’s worthy of an interview to prove it.

Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

Whatever you think about Saleh’s unsuccessful tenure as New York Jets coach, remember this: His defenses were still awesome. Saleh coaches defense as well as anyone in the league. Players rally behind him, and players develop under his tutelage. More than anyone, he’ll need to be able to prove he can identify a good offensive coordinator to run the other side of the ball after two failures on that front in New York. If he clears that hurdle, he’s arguably the best candidate on the market.

Chris Shula, defensive coordinator, Los Angeles Rams

It’s not easy to be the guy who helped the Rams defense get better after losing Aaron Donald. Shula’s been gestating in the Sean McVay machine for nearly a decade now, coaching three different position groups as well as spending time as pass rush coordinator and pass game coordinator. His players, especially his front seven, play physical, bruising football. And that last name doesn’t hurt him at all either; he’s the grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.

Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Titans organization has changed a lot since Smith left to be Atlanta’s head coach in 2021. Smith’s star has faded a little following his 21-30 run with the Falcons, and the Titans’ star has faded immensely with four straight losing seasons. He’s never had a franchise quarterback to call his own, though, not even with the Titans. Seeing his offensive principles play out with a No. 1 caliber passer like Ward could be enticing, and he could be a link to the harder-nosed, more-disciplined style of football the Titans played during his tenure.

Kevin Stefanski, head coach, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland could always retain Stefanski, the two-time NFL Coach of the Year. But indications in recent days have been the Browns and Stefanski are leaning toward parting ways. If Stefanski’s willing to dive right back into coaching, he’d be a pretty strong fit in Nashville. He knows how to do the job. His offenses are usually impressive. He’s hired well on defense too. And he’s coached the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs twice. Don’t let him be unemployed long.

Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator, Miami Dolphins

A former NFL defensive lineman who played in Baltimore during the peak of the Ray Lewis-Ed Reed years, Weaver’s seen and coached good defense in Houston, Baltimore and Miami, even if the team success hasn’t followed him to the Dolphins. He’s got ties to the Bill Belichick tree, the Harbaugh tree and the Shanahan tree, and his experience as a player will make it easier to relate with the players. Just don’t hire him thinking Miami’s less-than-stellar defense is the reason why.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at  nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X @nicksuss. Subscribe to the Talkin’ Titans newsletter for updates sent directly to your inbox.