Titans Head Coach Search Underway: Some candidates you’ll have to wait for as the NFL playoffs unfold

Here’s how the Titans’ interview process will unfold

Easton Freeze — Tennessee Titans Beat Writer
Add as preferred source on Google

The Tennessee Titans search for their next head coach begins officially this week, with the first batch of interview invites being sent out as Week 18 comes to a close. But who can be interviewed when? Here’s the timeline to keep up with each potential candidate and when they can first speak to Tennessee by NFL rule.

Titans interview timeline for each possible candidate

The Titans will begin their search with around a dozen virtual interviews, a list that has the potential to grow a bit as the process unfolds. In-person interviews will commence no earlier than January 19th per NFL rule. The Titans will bring in candidates who make it to round two of the process for interviews in Nashville, and this is when Owner Amy Adams Strunk will get involved. Key players such as Cam Ward and Jeffery Simmons will be involved in this portion as well, at least in small part.

Two possible candidates who can be interviewed at any point are former Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy and former Giants HC Brian Daboll. They’re free agents.

The next batch of availability is coaches with teams who are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and finish their seasons on Sunday. The following possible candidates can interview as early as Wednesday, January 7th:

  • Chiefs OC Matt Nagy
  • Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver
  • Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury
  • Colts DC Lou Anarumo
  • Giants Interim HC Mike Kafka
  • Vikings DC Brian Flores
  • Browns DC Jim Schwartz

Coaches with playoff teams can be interviewed before their playoff runs end, but unless they’re on a bye, they can’t do so until the second week of the offseason. So Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak, whose team secured the NFC 1 seed on Saturday, can interview as early as Tuesday January 6th. Coaches on the AFC 1 seed team will be beholden to the same timeline, just one day later on the 7th (since they play Sunday).

As for the rest of the playoff coaches who won’t get a bye week, they will be able to interview as early as Tuesday, January 13th (except for those in the Monday night wildcard game, whose earliest will be the 14th):

  • Packers DC Jeff Hafley
  • 49ers DC Robert Saleh
  • Rams DC Chris Shula
  • Jaguars DC Anthony Campanile
  • Chargers DC Jesse Minter
  • Texans DC Matt Burke
  • Bills OC Joe Brady

And then of course, and coaches fired after the season can interview as early as Wednesday, January 7th. All eyes are on Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski, and Mike McDaniel amongst other head coaches potentially on the hot seat.

Related Articles