The Tennessee Titans organization is no stranger to organizational changes, as demonstrated by the fact that this franchise has fired a head coach or general manager in each of the last three seasons. With the way Brian Callahan is performing two years in, it’s time to start evaluating Titans coaching candidates.
Callahan was always a risky hire by the Titans’ organization. He received ample credit for Jake Browning’s success in the aftermath of the Joe Burrow injury late in the 2023 season, but he’d otherwise had a rather unremarkable coaching career. He’s been unable to maximize any of the Titans’ quarterbacks and, just as concerning, the hiring of Bill Callahan as offensive line coach hasn’t yielded real improvements for Tennessee’s offensive line.
Let’s dive into our preliminary list of Titans coaching candidates to replace Callahan.
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator
When evaluating potential Titans coaching candidates, those with experience getting the most out of a quarterback and building an explosive, efficient offense will be prioritized. That’s why Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady will be one of the most sought-after play-callers in 2026 for NFL teams seeking a bright, young head coach.
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Much of the emphasis on Brady will center on his success with quarterbacks Josh Allen (in Buffalo) and Joe Burrow (at LSU). However, another redeeming quality is his track record of adapting and learning from his mistakes. He was the hotshot in the coaching world after the 2019 season with LSU, turning that success into a job as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator (2020-21). He didn’t last two full seasons, as Carolina’s offense ranked 29th in EPA per Play (-0.060) and 24th in Success Rate (43.4 percent) during that stretch.
The 35-year-old worked his way back up the coaching ladder, serving as Allen’s quarterbacks coach (2022-23) before taking over as Buffalo’s offensive play-caller. In the last two seasons, Buffalo ranks second in EPA per Play and is top five in Offensive Success Rate. A big reason for that is Brady helped revitalize Buffalo’s ground game, maximizing running back James Cook in the process. He’s a proven play-caller who knows a good offensive line is just as important to a quarterback’s long-term success as the scheme. He’s ideal for Tennessee.
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
As great as it would be for Tennessee to find Ward a wizard of a play-caller who could potentially stick around for years to come as a head coach, that’s not the only pathway for sustained success with a franchise quarterback. The Bills (Sean McDermott), Baltimore Ravens (John Harbaugh), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Todd Bowles) and Washington Commanders are demonstrating that right now.
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Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator is better than just about anyone in the NFL at maximizing the defensive talent he has to work with. After orchestrating the best defense in college football for the Michigan Wolverines’ championship season in 2023, he inherited a Chargers’ defense in 2024 that allowed 23.4 PPG (24th), a 38.4% third-down conversion rate (16th) and 32.6 yards per drive (25th). Working with several rookies and second-year players, along with Derwin James and Khalil Mack, Minter turned this defense into the NFL’s best scoring defense (17.7 PPG) and the fifth-best third-down defense (35.7 percent) last season. For anyone who thought it was a one-year fluke, Los Angeles once again has an elite defense in 2025.
Minter doesn’t have head-coaching experience, but he’s spent eight seasons learning from Jim and John Harbaugh, both at the collegiate and NFL levels. Only 42 years old, he should be the top defensive-minded head coach candidate in 2026.
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator
Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, only in his age-46 season, has earned a second chance as an NFL head coach. Many will credit the success he had in 2024 to quarterback Jayden Daniels, who played like an MVP-caliber player in his rookie season. Daniels, however, has credited Kingsbury heavily for helping him integrate into the Commanders’ offense. Kigsbury found the things that made his rookie most comfortable early and emphasized that in the first few weeks of the 2024 season, slowly expanding the playbook more as Washington’s offense kept improving. That in itself should be appealing to a franchise that wants to find the right offensive mind to pair with Ward.
Related: NFL QB Rankings 2025
We want to highlight something else. In the three games Daniels has either missed entirely or exited early due to injury, Marcus Mariota has filled in as the Commanders’ quarterback. In 90 career games prior to arriving in Kingsbury’s offense, Mariota had a 62.7 percent completion rate, a 44.5 percent Success Rate, an 89.2 QB rating and he averaged 6.35 net yards per attempt in 90 games. While it’s only been a small sample size with Washington, Mariota has a 77.4 percent completion rate with a 132.0 QB rating and averaged 7.74 NY/A under Kingsbury. Given his experience also coaching quarterbacks in college, he could fit very well with Ward.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings Defensive Coordinator
While recognizing what happened during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa is not Cam Ward. Brian Flores and his former quarterback certainly clashed, but the Minnesota Vikings‘ defensive coordinator and the Titans’ rookie quarterback are a much better personality fit. Plus, Ward has the physical tools (athleticism and arm strength) to pair with the confidence and poise that Flores always wanted his quarterback to have when he was a head coach.
Read More: NFL Power Rankings 2025, Week-by-Week Evaluations of All 32 Teams
Flores’ resume as a defensive play-caller speaks for itself. Over the last three seasons, the Vikings’ defense sits atop the NFL in EPA per Play and it only ranks behind the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans in Defensive Success Rate. He would get to take over a Titans’ defensive line that already has Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat, two building blocks to build a great defensive line. With the 2026 NFL Draft class deep on the defensive side, Flores could quickly turn this unit around.
As for who would become the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2026, Flores has been working alongside head coach Kevin O’Connell since 2023. Whether it’s quarterbacks coach Josh McCown or another prominent assistant, Flores has better connections now to make the right hire.
Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator
Sometimes, what’s best for a young quarterback is finding a play-caller who has proven he can have success with signal-callers who have a variety of different skill sets. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has done just that with Jameis Winston (his only seasons with a 90-plus QB rating), Stetson Bennett (two national championships), and Lamar Jackson (NFL MVP and two-time All-Pro).
Monken, turning 60 in February, would be on the older side for a first-time NFL head coach. He has, however, proven himself as a coordinator at both the NFL and collegiate levels. In Baltimore, he’s helped evolve the Ravens’ offense both before and after Derrick Henry while designing one of the NFL’s most efficient red-zone and third-down offenses. He wouldn’t be the splashiest hire, but he’s a proven commodity with decades of coaching experience and an excellent track record with different quarterback archetypes.
