Tennessee Titans coaching search tracker: Who are Titans interviewing to replace Mike Vrabel?
The Tennessee Titans began requesting interviews with coaching candidates on Wednesday per multiple reports, a day after firing Mike Vrabel following a six-year tenure.
Tennessee cannot interview candidates in-person until Jan. 22 for assistant coaches whose teams aren't still alive in the playoffs, but can interview virtually until then.
Seven teams currently have an opening following the surprising exit of Pete Carroll in Seattle, and there could be at least one more opening. Bill Belichick's future in New England is uncertain, according to multiple reports.
Here's who have reportedly been requested for an interview, along with some information about those prospective coaches:
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Tennessee Titans coaching candidates tracker: Who Titans have requested to interview
Aaron Glenn, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator
Interview request reported by ESPN on Jan. 10
Age: 51
Head coaching experience? None.
Lions defensive rankings in 2023: 19th in total yards allowed, 23rd in points allowed, 13th in DVOA
Coaching resume: Detroit Lions defensive coordinator (2021-23), New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach (2016-20), Cleveland Browns assistant defensive backs coach (2014-15)
What to know: The Lions defense has been up-and-down in 2023. Detroit allowed the sixth-most yards per play this past season and the sixth-most passing yards allowed despite ranking first in the NFL in quarterback knockdowns. Glenn's work with the secondary in New Orleans was highly regarded before he became the defensive coordinator in Detroit.
Glenn was also a 15-year pro as a cornerback from 1994-2008 with three Pro Bowl nods.
Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator
Interview request reported by NFL Network on Jan. 10
Age: 37
Head coaching experience? None.
Lions offensive rankings in 2023: 3rd in total yards, 5th in points, 5th in DVOA
Coaching resume:Detroit Lions offensive coordinator (2022-23), Detroit Lions tight ends coach (2020-21), Detroit Lions offensive quality control coach (2019), Miami Dolphins wide receivers coach (2018), Miami Dolphins assistant wide receivers coach (2016-17), Miami Dolphins assistant quarterbacks coach (2013-15), Miami Dolphins offensive assistant (2012), Boston College tight ends coach (2011), Boston College graduate assistant (2009-10)
What to know: Johnson has turned the Lions offense into one of the league's best with Jared Goff at quarterback. Goff has re-established himself as a top-half-of-the-league quarterback under Johnson. Johnson could have been a major part of the coaching carousel last winter but opted to say in Detroit.
Mike Kafka, New York Giants offensive coordinator
Interview request reported by NFL Network on Jan. 10
Age: 36
Head coaching experience? None.
Giants offensive rankings in 2023: 29th in total yards, 30th in points, 30th in DVOA
Coaching resume:New York Giants offensive coordinator (2022-23), Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator (2020-21), Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks coach (2018-19), Kansas City Chiefs offensive quality control coach (2017), Northwestern graduate assistant (2016)
What to know: Kafka was the Chiefs' quarterbacks coach during Patrick Mahomes' first four years as a starter, then became the Giants offensive coordinator after New York hired Brian Daboll as head coach. Kafka has been the Giants playcaller the last two seasons. Daniel Jones had his best season as a pro in 2022 as the Giants went to the playoffs. Last season, the Giants offense regressed even before Jones was lost for the season after six games and was ranked among the worst units in football.
Mike MacDonald, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator
Interview request reported by ESPN on Jan. 10
Age: 36
Head coaching experience? None
Ravens defensive rankings in 2023: 6th in total yards allowed, 1st in points allowed, 1st in DVOA
Coaching resume:Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator (2022-23), Michigan defensive coordinator (2021), Baltimore Ravens linebackers coach (2018-20), Baltimore Ravens defensive backs coach (2017), Baltimore Ravens defensive assistant (2015-16), Baltimore Ravens coaching intern (2014), Georgia quality control coach (2011-13), Georgia graduate assistant (2010)
What to know: MacDonald is a well-regarded defensive playcaller even at his relative young age. He led Michigan's defense in 2021 as the Wolverines earned their first appearance in the College Football Playoff, then moved from Harbaugh brother to Harbaugh brother in 2022 by joining the Ravens. MacDonald's Ravens defenses have been able to keep opposing offenses off balance despite not having an elite pass rusher or shutdown corner. Baltimore led the league in points allowed and takeaways in 2023, a major reason why the Ravens are the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Antonio Pierce, Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach
Interview request reported by NFL Network on Jan. 10
Age: 45
Head coaching experience? Pierce was the interim head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders for the final nine weeks in 2023, going 5-4.
Coaching resume:Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach (2023), Las Vegas Raiders linebackers coach (2022-23), Arizona State defensive coordinator, associate head coach and recruiting coordinator (2021), Arizona State defensive coordinator, associate head coach, linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator (2020) Arizona State linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator (2018-19)
What to know: Pierce's performance as interim coach in Vegas has led to a push to make him the full-time coach by Raiders players and national media. But that doesn't seem to be the case initially. Pierce's 5-4 record included the Christmas Day upset of the Chiefs in Arrowhead and a blowout win in a short week against the Chargers. Pierce has two years of defensive playcalling experience in college, but none in the NFL. If hired, he'd likely be a CEO-type coach similar to Vrabel.
Pierce played nine years in the NFL, winning the Super Bowl in 2007 with the Giants and earning one Pro Bowl nod.
Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator
Interview request reported by NFL Network on Jan. 10
Age: 53
Head coaching experience? Quinn was the Atlanta Falcons head coach from 2015-20, going 43-42 in six seasons with two playoff berths and a Super Bowl appearance.
Cowboys defensive rankings in 2023: 5th in total yards allowed, 5th in points allowed, 5th in DVOA
Coaching resume:Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator (2021-23), Atlanta Falcons head coach (2015-20), Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator (2013-14), Florida Gators defensive coordinator and defensive line coach (2011-12), Seattle Seahawks defensive line coach (2009-10), New York Jets defensive line coach (2007-08), Miami Dolphins defensive line coach (2005-06), San Francisco 49ers defensive line coach (2003-04), San Francisco 49ers defensive quality control coach (2001-02), Hofstra defensive coordinator (2000), Hofstra defensive line coach (1996-2000), VMI defensive line coach (1995), William & Mary defensive line coach (1994)
What to know: Quinn has helped the Cowboys defense improve to a near-elite unit over the last three seasons. His work as a defensive coordinator with Dallas and Seattle has been well-regarded. Quinn's time in Atlanta has been a little more scrutinized, nothing more so than the Super Bowl loss to Atlanta in February 2017. The Falcons blew a 28-3 lead and lost to the Patriots.
Fair or not, the Falcons were never the same after that loss and after offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan took the 49ers coaching job. Atlanta declined after 2016, making the playoffs just once since then. If Quinn is to become a head coach again, can he make another dynamite offensive coordinator hire?
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Titans coaching search tracker: Who are Titans interviewing?
