Key connection between Chiefs and Titans could make Steve Spagnuolo and Matt Nagy serious HC candidates for Tennessee
2025 could be the last year for either Spagnuolo or Nagy in Kansas City.
We have our first head coach firing of the 2025 season, as the Tennessee Titans have fired Brian Callahan.
Tennessee has yet to name an interim coach as of this post. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Titans, who currently own a 1-5 record, on the road in Week 16.
The two franchise have done some recent business with each other, including Kansas City trading cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to Tennessee in the 2024 offseason, and the Titans trading wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Chiefs during the 2024 regular season.
The biggest connection between the two teams is Mike Borgonzi. The Titans hired Borgonzi to be their general manager during the 2025 offseason after he spent 16 years in Kansas City in various roles, serving as assistant GM before leaving. Given his history with the Chiefs, it makes a lot of sense for Borgonzi to consider hiring one of their current coaches.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo
Borgonzi worked with Spagnuolo in K.C. for six seasons. Spagnuolo is one of the greatest defensive coordinators of all time, and is the only one in the history of the league to win four Super Bowls. Borgonzi may want to go with a more defensive-orientated approach after things didn’t work out with the offensive-minded Callahan.
Spagnuolo is known for his impressive game planning, as well as his aggressive and exotic blitzing. Minus the 2018 season, he has been an NFL coach since 1999. Spagnuolo spent three years as the St. Louis Rams head coach from 2009-2011, but was fired after compiling a 10-38 overall record.
Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy
Borgonzi and Nagy worked together with the Chiefs from 2013-2017, then again from 2022-2024. In both stints Nagy went from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator. Nagy’s current period as offensive coordinator has had its ups and downs, but the unit is currently at the best its been since he took the role back over in 2023.
Nagy was the head coach for the Chicago Bears from 2018-2021. He was named AP Coach of the Year in 2018 after leading the Bears to a 12-4 record and an NFC North title. However, Chicago went just 22-27 the following three years, and parted ways with Nagy after the 2021 season. Nagy naturally runs a very similar offensive system as his mentor Andy Reid, who he has coached under for 14 years.
Potential under-the-radar candidates
These Chiefs coaches would be longshots for Borgonzi to consider, but not completely out of the question:
- Passing game coordinator Joe Bleymaier: A member of K.C.’s coaching staff since 2016, Bleymaier has also held titles such as offensive quality control coach, assistant QBs coach, and wide receivers coach.
- Defensive line coach Joe Cullen: Cullen has coached the Chiefs’ defensive line since 2022, helping elevate players such as Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, and Mike Danna.
- Defensive backs coach Dave Merritt: Merritt has helped developed big name DBs such as Landon Collins, Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid, Charvarius Ward, and Trent McDuffie throughout his 25-year NFL coaching career.
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