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14 Tennessee Titans coaching candidates after Mike Vrabel fired, from Jim Harbaugh to Jim Schwartz

Published

2 years ago

January 9, 2024

14 Tennessee Titans coaching candidates after Mike Vrabel fired, from Jim Harbaugh to Jim Schwartz

The Tennessee Titans fired Mike Vrabel after six seasons on Tuesday, ending a run that included three playoff appearances, two division titles, one NFL Coach of the Year award and two disappointing, disjointed, losing seasons.

The Titans will be looking for their sixth coach since moving to Tennessee.

Vrabel was the third-winningest coach in franchise history behind only Jeff Fisher and Bum Phillips. He was the first coach to lead the Titans to three straight playoff appearances since Jack Pardee in the early 1990s. But his tenure is over now.

Now, as Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Ran Carthon embark on the start of the next era of Titans’ football, there is no shortage of directions the Titans could take. Here are 14 candidates the Titans could consider to replace Vrabel, sorted alphabetically by last name.

Tennessee Titans coaching candidates after Mike Vrabel fired

Shane Bowen, Titans defensive coordinator

Never rule out the internal candidate when it comes to the Titans. The 37-year-old has been with the franchise since the start of the Vrabel era, has called plays for the defense since 2020 and has been the defensive coordinator since 2021. The defense had its ups-and-downs during Bowen’s tenure, especially with struggles in the secondary, but his familiarity with the roster and ability to keep the messaging consistent could be viewed as a plus.

Brian Callahan, Bengals offensive coordinator

Few teams haunted the Titans throughout the Vrabel era like the Cincinnati Bengals, and Callahan was a big part of why. In five seasons as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator, Callahan helped develop quarterback Joe Burrow into a star and co-organized a prolific offense that featured some of the league’s most dynamic receivers and got running backs involved in a unique way.

Aaron Glenn, Lions defensive coordinator

A 15-year pro and three-time Pro Bowler as a cornerback, Glenn has led the Lions defense since 2021 after stops coaching with the Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints. Glenn’s Detroit defenses haven’t exactly been stellar, ranking 31st, 30th and 23rd in points allowed per game. But he’s a renowned leader and has played and worked under multiple successful coaches, making him the candidate who might actually be most similar to Vrabel when the Titans hired him in 2018.

Jim Harbaugh, University of Michigan coach

Going from an Ohio State Buckeye to the sitting coach at the University of Michigan would be some culture shock (though Taylor Lewan would be a fan). Harbaugh’s been coy about whether he wants to return to the NFL after the success he’s experienced in college, leading the Wolverines to three straight College Football Playoff appearances and Monday’s national championship win over Washington. But the 60-year-old coach is as intriguing of a candidate as can be. In four years as San Francisco 49ers coach, his teams went 44-19-1 with three NFC Championship appearances and a Super Bowl loss. And his college success isn’t anything to scoff at either. Where Harbaugh goes, wins follow.

Ben Johnson, Lions offensive coordinator

Another Detroit-based candidate, Johnson has led the Lions to top-five seasons by points and yards per game each of the past two. A longtime Miami Dolphins assistant before his stint with the Lions, Johnson doesn’t have the same pedigree of working on championship teams as some other potential candidates. But there’s no disputing his success in turning the Lions offense into one of the league’s best, especially when it comes to passing success and keeping quarterbacks clean and upright.

Anthony Lynn, 49ers assistant head coach

Lynn, formerly the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, has spent two years working alongside Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, one of those years while Carthon worked in the front office. That familiarity, combined with the 49ers’ success and his experience as coach, makes him a hard candidate to rule out.

Mike Macdonald, Ravens defensive coordinator

No team plays defense quite like the Ravens do, and Macdonald is the mastermind behind so much of the team’s recent success. The Ravens allow the fewest points and second fewest yards per play in the NFL, ranking among the league’s best in sacks, interception rate, third down stops and red zone defense. A long-time Ravens assistant who also coordinated at Michigan, Macdonald is only 36 years old but has more than proven he can lead defenses and has learned how to build and lead franchises from both Harbaugh brothers.

Todd Monken, Ravens offensive coordinator

Few coaches have taken more circuitous paths into the head coaching discussion than Monken. He cut his teeth in college, came to the pros as a receivers coach, went back to college where he became a coordinator and eventual coach at Southern Miss, went back to the NFL as an offensive coordinator in Tampa Bay and Cleveland, returned to college to coordinate Georgia’s offense for two championship runs and now is leading Lamar Jackson to what will likely be his second MVP season. Monken’s done a bit of everything, coached numerous types of offenses and has the AFC’s best team rolling in a way it hasn’t in years.

Raheem Morris, Rams defensive coordinator

Morris hasn’t gotten a second crack at being a full-time head coach since his tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended after the 2011 season. He has, however, coordinated some of the league’s best defenses in three years with the Rams and spent time on extremely successful staffs in Washington and Atlanta, working alongside future head coaches such as Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel. As far as second-chance hires go, Morris is a more than qualified candidate.

Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive coordinator

Morris’ former boss, Quinn was coach of the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-20, when he was fired just five games into the season. Quinn led the Falcons to a Super Bowl berth and two playoff appearances and has helmed three top-10 defenses in three years with Dallas. He interviewed for multiple coaching jobs last offseason but opted to stay in Dallas, so it’s tough to say whether he’d be open to a move this year. But, like Morris, Quinn is a coach more than due for a second crack at a top job.

Jim Schwartz, Browns defensive coordinator

It’s a marriage that can never truly be ruled out. Schwartz has the Browns allowing the fewest yards per play and per game in the NFL this season, a reminder that the long-time Titans assistant and former Lions coach can still flat-out coach. He spent 2021-22 as a senior defensive assistant with the Titans and was notably the Titans’ defensive coordinator from 2001-08. He only posted one winning season in five years with the Lions but his continued success in years since coordinating the Bills, Eagles and Browns defenses are proof of his ability.

Bobby Slowik, Texans offensive coordinator

Nothing’s stopped the Titans from hiring a young Texans assistant with just one year of coordinating experience as a head coach before. Slowik has helped orchestrate Houston’s impressive turnaround in 2023, developing rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud into one of the NFL’s best passers. It also doesn’t hurt that Slowik spent six years in San Francisco, meaning he has a prior relationship with Carthon.

Frank Smith, Dolphins offensive coordinator

There’s nothing quite as evergreen in NFL hiring season as trying to poach the coordinator from the league’s best offense. Smith has helped McDaniel devise the NFL’s fastest, most potent offense this season, building on the success he experienced in previous stops with the Chargers and Raiders. It’s tough to separate Smith’s success from the talent Miami has on offense and on the sidelines, but he’s certainly worth a look.

Shane Waldron, Seahawks offensive coordinator

Another offensive coach from the McVay-Shanahan tree, Waldron has revitalized Seattle’s offense in the last two years by getting the best out of once-discarded journeyman quarterback Geno Smith. Waldron has worked in various capacities under McVay, Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll, giving him a pedigree of great mentors to go along with his teams’ offensive successes.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

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Sold on Cam Ward’s future? Tennessee Titans teammates sure are | Estes

Published

1 hour ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Sold on Cam Ward’s future? Tennessee Titans teammates sure are | Estes

As rough as this season has been for the Tennessee Titans and a grumpy Cam Ward, a faint glimmer of light is appearing at the end of the tunnel.

It says something important about rookie quarterback Cam Ward that his reputation among veteran Tennessee Titans teammates is that of a grumpy old codger.

“Don’t be a Grinch today,” defensive star Jeffery Simmons told Ward after the Titans — gasp — won a home football game, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 26-9 on Dec. 21 at Nissan Stadium, improving to 3-12 and getting to enjoy the holidays just a bit more.

Simmons was kidding with Ward. Well, he was kind of kidding.

The last time the Titans won (on Dec. 7 in Cleveland — not that it’s difficult to narrow it down), Ward showed up to his postgame news conference in a sour mood, relatively displeased with how the victory had gone.

On the flight back, Titans defensive end Arden Key reportedly used the plane’s speaker system to joke about Ward’s disposition after the game. We know that because Will Boling, the Titans’ sideline reporter and a host on 104.5-FM, relayed that on the air (which caused the team to subsequently remove him from traveling on the team’s plane).

So that’s the Grinch-iness Simmons was talking about.

It’s also, however, why Simmons said about Ward a few minutes later: “I keep telling people, that’s the reason why I don’t want to go nowhere. I see the competitive nature. I see the growth as a rookie. I can see where he could take this franchise.”

Ward got this far as a zero-star prep recruit, becoming the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, because his nature is to never be satisfied, even while winning. This is a strength. So is the fact that he is genuine in his thoughts. Doesn’t sugarcoat. Tells it like it is.

So this Titans season has been an experiment.

What happens when you take a quarterback like that and have him lose a whole bunch of games right away in the NFL?

You get quotes like “we ass,” which Ward famously said earlier this season after the Titans started 0-for-4. Some older teammates didn’t like hearing that at the time. But he wasn’t wrong, as this season has continued to demonstrate.

Ward’s first NFL head coach, Brian Callahan, was fired after six games this season. The Titans lost six in a row after that (seven in a row total), and five were at Nissan Stadium. It has been humbling, I’d imagine, for a touted rookie quarterback, especially because Ward’s performances have been mixed, if not overall underwhelming.

But as Simmons noted, “Cam hasn’t changed” during all the losses. That’s what teammates have noticed.

Joking aside, Ward has earned the respect of teammates — young and old — behind the scenes because of his fortitude. And of course, his ability.

“That guy is so talented,” rookie receiver Chimere Dike said of Ward, “but his work ethic is something that I really appreciate. I’m thankful that I’ve been able to grow with him this year, and I can’t wait to continue to build that rapport going forward. Hopefully, we’ll win a lot of games in Nashville.”

Win a lot? Could it be that Ward’s Titans are finally noticing a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel? Perhaps all the struggles are beginning to bear fruit?

For Ward, this was a good weekend. His college team, the Miami Hurricanes, got a gigantic College Football Playoff win at Texas A&M. “I plan on them going out there and beating Ohio State (in the quarterfinals),” Ward chirped.

A day later, the Chiefs game may have been Ward’s best so far in the NFL. He went 21-for-28 for 228 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions, and while that might not sound too impressive, he led the Titans to three long TD drives and a 9-for-17 clip on third down.

Those eye-opening highlights, the ones that’ve flashed all season, haven’t gone away, either. Against Kansas City, Ward made a laughably absurd throw. Against his body and off his back foot, he found Dike for 30 yards to beat cornerback Kristian Fulton (remember him?).

“I’ve been better each and every week,” Ward said, “whether it’s one thing or whether it’s a major thing.”

The Titans, as an organization, may not be certain that they have their future quarterback yet. Ward’s journey is ongoing, and it will stay this way through next season. But the arrow keeps tilting slightly more north as this rough season nears a merciful — yet increasingly optimistic — conclusion.

Titans teammates, for what it’s worth, have sounded convinced about Ward for a while.

Teammates who matter.

Do not underestimate the importance of the quote from Simmons. It’s not a given that he’d want to stay with a franchise that’s gone 6-26 the past two seasons and not even sniffed the playoffs. A lot has been asked of Simmons here, and he’d be coveted by every other NFL team.

If Simmons is insisting he wants to stay amid all this losing, it’s worth paying attention to the reason why.

That reason just won his first home game as an NFL quarterback. And you know what? Cam Ward even seemed happy about this one.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and hang out with him on Bluesky @gentryestes.bsky.social

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Is Taylor Swift attending Tennessee Titans vs Chiefs in Nashville today?

Published

13 hours ago

December 21, 2025

Press Room

Is Taylor Swift attending Tennessee Titans vs Chiefs in Nashville today?

With the Kansas City Chiefs in Nashville, many Tennessee Titans fans may be curious if Chiefs super fan Taylor Swift will be at Nissan Stadium on Dec. 21.

Swift, international music star and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s fiancé, has frequently been seen at Chiefs games since the two started dating in 2023.

Unfortunately, Swift is not expected to be at Nissan Stadium for the matchup between the Titans (2-12) and Chiefs (6-8).

The Titans and Chiefs kick off at noon CT (CBS).

This season, Swift has attended every Chiefs home game at Arrowhead Stadium, but has not attended any road games.

Several factors have dulled the intrigue of this matchup heading into the week. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been ruled out with a torn ACL and will be out the rest of the season. Also, Kansas City was officially eliminated from playoff contention with their 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 14.

Combine that with the Titans’ poor record in 2025 — and that they have not won a game at Nissan Stadium since Nov. 3, 2024 — and you have a somewhat of a meaningless game ahead.

Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.

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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2025

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In-N-Out lines in Tennessee are so long there’s now an app to track wait times

In-N-Out Burger expanding to Tennessee

The beloved California burger chain announced Tuesday its plan to open future restaurants in Tennessee in addition to an Eastern territory office in the city of Franklin.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Hoping to get in and out of In-N-Out Burger quickly? There’s an app for that.

The arrival of the beloved California burger chain in Tennessee has sparked such intense demand that fans have turned to technology to manage the hours-long lines.

How ‘The Wait App’ tracks massive burger lines

What we know:

Tennessee’s first three In-N-Out locations—situated in Lebanon, Antioch, and Murfreesboro—opened their doors in mid-December to massive crowds.

To combat the resulting congestion, a web-based tool called Thewaitapp.com was launched to provide real-time data on how long it takes to order both inside the restaurant and at the drive-thru, WSMV reports.

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The app relies entirely on crowdsourcing, meaning users visiting the restaurants input their own wait times to keep the data current for others.

Timeline of In-N-Out’s Tennessee expansion

Timeline:

In-N-Out’s rapid expansion into the Midstate occurred over the course of a single week in December 2025:

December 10: The first two Tennessee locations officially opened in Lebanon and Nashville’s Antioch neighborhood, drawing immediate, multi-hour lines.

December 12: A third location opened in Murfreesboro, further expanding the brand’s footprint in the region.

Mid-December: “The Wait App” launched shortly after the initial openings to help customers find the shortest lines among the trio of restaurants.

The In-N-Out effect

Why you should care:

For Tennessee residents, the arrival of the California-based chain is a significant cultural and economic event, but it has also created localized traffic issues.

The launch of a third-party app highlights the “In-N-Out effect,” where brand loyalty is high enough to drive secondary technological solutions.

SUGGESTED: See how this California In-N-Out solved its biggest traffic problem

For the casual diner, using the app can mean the difference between a quick meal and a three-hour commitment, as it even provides a “confidence level” for the accuracy of the reported times.

The backstory:

In-N-Out heiress and CEO Lynsi Snyder announced in 2023 that In-N-Out planned to open future restaurants in Tennessee in addition to an Eastern territory administrative office in the city of Franklin.

Earlier this year, Snyder revealed she and her family were relocating to Tennessee.

“There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here,” she said on an episode of the podcast Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey. “Doing business is not easy here now.”

Snyder said the majority of In-N-Out restaurants would still be in California.

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“Moving into Tennessee provides our In-N-Out Associates wonderful opportunities to buy a home and raise a family and be a part of our expansion in a different part of the U.S.,” she said in a separate video clarifying her statements made on the podcast.

“It’s tough here in California, and this doesn’t have to do with my love or loyalty to the state and our customers,” she said. “But I love our associates and I [want to] offer them this.”

Big picture view:

In-N-Out was founded by Harry and Esther Snyder in Baldwin Park in 1948 as California’s first drive-thru hamburger stand.

The chain expanded to locations across the Golden State and in 1992, it opened its first restaurant outside California in Nevada.

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In-N-Out currently operates more than 400 locations across California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Tennessee.

Future of the franchise

What’s next:

While the initial “grand opening craze” has settled slightly, wait times are expected to remain high through the holiday season. The success of the Tennessee wait-tracking tool may set a precedent for future In-N-Out expansions into new territories.

This story was reported from Los Angeles.

The Source: This report is based on local coverage of In-N-Out Burger’s expansion into Middle Tennessee and technical specifications from Thewaitapp.com. Data regarding restaurant opening dates and location details were verified through official company announcements and local news reports from the Nashville and Murfreesboro areas.

In-N-OutTennesseeU.S.TechnologyFood and DrinkRestaurants

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