It’s an exciting time to be a fan of the Tennessee Titans. Whether you were a fan of Mike Vrabel or not, the organization is moving on and we’d be wise to do so too. We’ve got a head coaching search to obsess over. There are hot takes left and right flying around the Twitter streets this week – some people want an offensive guy. Some are still yearning for Vrabel. If you ask where I stand on the philosophy going into this search, I would echo what a lot of my intelligent contemporaries are suggesting: “if you can get an offensive mastermind and avoid having to cycle through offensive coordinators every year, that’s ideal.” But, I also don’t think it would be the end of the world if they brought in a defensive minded head coach either.
I’ve said it before this season. Whoever the individual is, as long as they’re forward-thinking, we can work with that in the modern NFL. If it’s a defensive guy that can fix that unit and bring in an offensive staff (or keep one, stay tuned) that can go to work in today’s NFL, that’s fine! I just want to see the collaborative approach that Ran Carthon preaches and Amy Adams Strunk yearns for come to fruition. How could you watch that video of Sean McVay and Les Snead watching Puka Nacua tape and NOT think, “I want that for my team?”
We have a lot of smoke and a lot of candidates to get through, but before I do, I have to say that if you want the most detailed deep dives into the candidates that the Titans have interviewed or will interview, you need to become a subscriber over at Stacking The Inbox. Zach is doing an insane job of writing about these guys. I dare say it’s too good. He’s put too much time into it. I don’t know if he’s even seen the sunlight in a week because of how much work he’s put into this series. It’s fantastic. I’m not going to do what he’s done. I’ll hit you with a sentence or two about a guy and move on. But, if you want to be the smartest Titans fan in the room, go subscribe (and hey, you can get my draft coverage while you’re at it). On to my thoughts on the candidates and a few more names that we haven’t really been talking about.
Ben Johnson – It’s a pipe dream, I know. But, I think Johnson is seasoned and poised to become a head coach. It sounds like he’s probably the favorite to land the Commanders job, and honestly, I don’t think I’d blame him for taking it given how that franchise is primed to attack the offseason. Johnson is creative in the run game, and through accounts of his players, is a good teacher of the game. Look at how that Lions offense has improved under Johnson.
Brian Callahan – Callahan comes from the system that everyone covets right now. If you read what he’s responsible for with the Bengals, he’s practically a logistics expert that is an elite teacher and communicator. It’s the best of all worlds, and he could potentially put together an all-star coaching staff.
Bobby Slowik – The more info that I’ve consumed about Slowik, the more I’ve cooled off on him. I’ve watched a lot of Texans tape this season, and I love what Slowik has done in the passing game, but it’s not like he’s revolutionized the run game. It turns out that he delegates a lot to the QB coach, and many believe he’s just not quite ready to be a head coach. Now, you’d rather be early than late on a guy a la Zac Taylor. But, Slowik has moved out of my #1 spot.
Mike Macdonald – I like geniuses, and I think Mike Macdonald is a football savant. The hallmark of his defenses has been multiplicity. Look – I know hiring a defensive minded guy won’t be popular in Nashville, but the bottom line is that the Titans just need to get it right. Macdonald is a qualified guy.
Aaron Glenn – Glenn is beloved by players, and if you watch the Lions defense, its adaptability is impressive. The Titans could do a lot worse, though I expect pitchforks if they go this route.
Antonio Pierce – I like Pierce, but is he Mike Vrabel: Part 2?
Mike Kafka – People are too low on Kafka. Maybe he’s not quite ready yet, but he is perfectly capable of elevating an offense and he will get a shot. The guy made Tommy Cutlets work.
Thomas Brown – I don’t know a lot about Brown other than he’s far more respected in the eyes of the league than those who box score the Panthers based on their records.
Dan Quinn – Please no.
Todd Monken – I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten the call given how the Ravens offense has made strides in 2023. He said prior to the season that he wanted to dial it back to do more “Louisville Lamar Jackson,” and that’s what we’ve seen.
Jedd Fisch – I’m adding his name here based on one totally unsubstantiated claim, but I’m all for the team casting a wide net. How funny was it when his name popped up in a tweet saying he was in the mix for the Washington Huskies job AND the Tennessee Titans job? Can you imagine explaining that one to Titans fans?
Where’s the love for Shane Waldron and Frank Smith? Waldron was a guy that I talked about midseason as the next wave of offensive minds who were due for a look at head coach and nobody is interviewing him! Look at what he did for Geno Smith, and what he got out of Drew Lock! Likewise, Frank Smith was a hot name when the coaching cycle started, but he’s not getting a whole lot of love.
Tim Kelly/Charles London – The only thing that might make this city riot harder than if the Titans take a defensive-minded guy is if they promoted someone from the previous staff. I don’t get the hate for Tim Kelly. He did a good job with a shitty offensive line in my book. He flashed creativity enough for me to want to see what he could do if they turn that offensive line around. London is a highly respected up and comer in the coaching ranks too. I don’t think I’d promote either guy to head coach, but if the Titans hire one of these defensive-minded guys, I’d be happy if they retained Kelly and/or London to serve as a bridge to Will Levis.
Kliff Kingsbury – No one’s talking about Kliff Kingsbury! I’m a huge Kingsbury truther, and I’d love for him to at least get an interview, though it sounds like he’s the favorite to land the Raiders OC job if they retain Antonio Pierce. That would be a pretty sick pairing.
Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick – I said I wanted someone who is forward-thinking, not someone who is in jeopardy of having the game pass him by.
My preferred choices:
- Ben Johnson
- Brian Callahan
- Mike Macdonald
- Offering Kevin Stefanski one billion dollars
For my thoughts on the events that inspired this whole coaching search, check out this piece right here.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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