The Tennessee Titans were the first team to enter the NFL coaching carousel, firing Brian Callahan early in the 2025 season. Now just a few weeks into the offseason, a select few finalists have emerged in the Titans coaching search.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Tennessee is “beginning to finalize” its prioritized coaching candidates ahead of next week. At least three named candidates will be brought in for in-person interviews, but there could be another name or two in the mix.
Related: NFL Coaching Carousel Predictions, including the Tennessee Titans
Among the Titans coaching candidates who are finalists is Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. However, Hafley is also the front-runner for another head-coaching job in the AFC and could wind up there because of his relationship with the general manager.
Hafley is reportedly in high demand right now. Schultz noted that the former Boston College head coach is “likely a finalist” with every team he has interviewed with, which includes the Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers. He has received multiple requests from teams for a second interview, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, with those meetings expected to take place next week.
Related: 3 Teams In The Mix for Kevin Stefanski
Another name who has emerged in the Titans coaching search is former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. However, similar to Hafley, Tennessee faces significant competition for him. The two-time Coach of the Year reportedly has a second interview with the Atlanta Falcons and may be assembling a potential coaching staff to present to that organization.
If Hafley and Stefanski are taken off the board, the third reported finalist for Tennessee is Matt Nagy. He comes with previous head-coaching experience from his tenure with the Chicago Bears from 2018 to 2021, earning Coach of the Year in 2018 after posting a 12-4 record. He then went 22-26 (.458) in his final three seasons.
Nagy then returned to the Kansas City Chiefs, first serving as a senior assistant and quarterbacks coach in 2022 before taking over as offensive coordinator the following year. While he hasn’t seemed to generate much interest from other teams in the NFL coaching carousel, Nagy’s background in working with quarterbacks and his history with Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi could make him the favorite if Stefanski and Hafley are hired by other clubs.
