It’s coaching search season, and the Tennessee Titans are back at it for the second time in three years, this time looking for a coach to mentor a young roster and steer the franchise back in the direction of the postseason after four straight years of missing the playoffs.
General manager Mike Borgonzi is leading the search, his first since the Titans hired him in 2025. His role was clarified and restructured in recent days, giving him full power over the coaching staff and 53-man roster and the allowance to report directly to controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk, rather than president of football operations Chad Brinker.
The Titans can begin requesting interviews with candidates as soon as Jan. 5, and will be able to begin conducting interviews with candidates employed by other NFL teams during the week. Expect the Titans to interview a large swath of candidates, with the listing falling somewhere in the 12-15 range by the end of the first round of virtual, preliminary interviews.
Follow along below as reports and rumors swirl about the Titans’ coaching search, and the fuller scope takes shape of who the team is interested in interviewing.
Tennessee Titans coaching search: Latest rumors, reports, news and updates
Per various media reports, here is the league-wide list of candidates who are thought to be scheduling interviews or have been requested for interviews for the NFL’s six coach openings:
Broncos DC Vance Joseph: Arizona Cardinals, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Tennessee Titans49ers DC Robert Saleh: Arizona Cardinals,Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak: Atlanta Falcons,Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver: Atlanta Falcons,Giants interim HC Mike Kafka: New York Giants,Former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski: New York Giants, Tennessee TitansChiefs OC Matt Nagy: Tennessee TitansChiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo: Tennessee TitansColts DC Lou Anarumo: Tennessee TitansFormer Falcons HC Raheem Morris: Tennessee Titans
Per a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Titans will begin conducting their interviews by speaking to Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo on Wednesday. The plan is also to speak with former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski on Saturday.
In a later post, Rapoport and Tom Pelissero add that Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy will interview with the Titans for their vacancy on Thursday.
Rapoport has also reported that Raheem Morris will interview for the Titans’ position on Monday.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, newly available former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is expected to speak with the Titans, Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants. He is a two-time coach of the year, but the Browns finished near the bottom of the NFL each of the past two years.
Stefanski is an offensive-minded candidate in a year where there aren’t many offensive candidates who are expected to get as much attention.
Sources: Former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski currently is expected to speak with the Falcons, Giants and Titans about their HC vacancies. pic.twitter.com/prpXsuC5t5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026
According to a report from ESPN’s Peter Schrager, the Titans will interview fired Falcons coach Raheem Morris in the coming days. The Titans don’t need to make a request to interview Morris because he’s not under contract with another team. He had losing records in each of his two years coaching the Falcons, and two of his three years coaching the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009-11).
News: The Tennessee Titans will interview Raheem Morris for their vacant HC job later this week, per sources. @ESPNNFL
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) January 5, 2026
NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported that Kliff Kingsbury, the former Arizona Cardinals coach who now works as offensive coordinator in Washington, is “expected” to be in the mix for the Titans and Giants openings, among others.
The expectation is that the #Titans, #Giants, and other teams with openings will request to interview #Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury for their HC jobs, per sources.
One of the league’s top QB developers, Kingsbury has worked with Jayden Daniels and Kyler Murray in their OROY… pic.twitter.com/eAHU5Q5frM
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 5, 2026
Lou Anarumo, the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator best known for his stint as DC in Cincinnati under Zac Taylor, also has been requested for an interview by the Titans, per ESPN and NFL Network. Anarumo’s proximity to former Titans coach Brian Callahan might be a hindrance for some fans, but his expertise and respected status as a program builder are reasons he’ll get interview considerations.
Titans now have requested head coach interviews with Broncos DC Vance Joseph, Colts DC Lou Anarumo, Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo and Chiefs OC Matt Nagy.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 5, 2026Reports: Titans request interviews with Matt Nagy, Vance Joseph
Per reports from NFL Network, the Titans have requested interviews with Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. NFL Network is also reporting that Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will get an interview with the Titans.
All three candidates are former NFL head coaches who’ve returned to coordinating after less-than-stellar stints in charge. Nagy coached in Chicago for four years, Joseph was the head coach in Denver for two years and Spagnuolo was head coach in St. Louis in addition to an interim stint in New York.
Titans coaching search history
The Titans parted ways with coach Brian Callahan in October following a 1-5 start to the 2025 season (4-19 overall). He was replaced by interim coach Mike McCoy, who led the team to a 2-9 finish, with the team earning the No. 4 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as a result of its second consecutive 3-14 finish.
Titans roster: Who’s returning, what are the needs on the depth chart?
Quarterback Cam Ward returns for his second season, albeit one that could come with a limited offseason because of a shoulder injury suffered in the Week 18 loss versus Jacksonville. Around Ward, the Titans figure to return a slew of up-and-coming contributors such as receivers Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor, tight end Gunnar Helm and offensive linemen Peter Skoronski and JC Latham. Left tackle Dan Moore Jr. is also under contract long-term.
On defense, the Titans return stalwart Jeffery Simmons, a defensive tackle who’ll likely earn All-Pro status following his career-best performance in 2025. Around Simmons, some of the Titans’ contributors who’ll be expected to return and perform in 2026 are linebackers Cedric Gray and Cody Barton, safeties Amani Hooker, Xavier Woods and Kevin Winston Jr., and defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat.
The Titans’ primary needs heading into 2026 are at receiver, edge defender and cornerback. They will have tough financial decisions to make about big-money players like receiver Calvin Ridley, cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and center Lloyd Cushenberry III, and possibly running back Tony Pollard, as they move the roster into a new era.
In addition to the Titans, the franchises with head coaching openings at the moment are the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns. On Black Monday, the Las Vegas Raiders fired Pete Carroll and the Arizona Cardinals fired Jonathan Gannon.
NFL coaching search candidates: Who are the big names?
Some of the big names who’ll be expected to be hot commodities on the market are defensive coordinators like Robert Saleh, Jesse Minter, Vance Joseph, Chris Shula and Jeff Hafley; offensive coordinators like Kliff Kingsbury, Klint Kubiak, Joe Brady and Arthur Smith; and former head coaches like Mike McCarthy and Kevin Stefanski.
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.