The Tennessee Titans finally brought an end to the Brian Callahan era, as his 4-19 record and 1-5 start to the 2025 season led the front office to realize that he is by no means the coach who is going to get the most out of No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward. The next coach will likely specialize on the offensive side of the ball despite Callahan's nightmare.
When prompted for information about the Titans' head coaching search, Ian Rapoport mentioned two names specifically above all others: Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Both of these coaches have some familiarity with a part of this franchise. Nagy could be yet another member of the Chiefs that Mike Borgonzi brings over to help him run things, while Smith got the Atlanta Falcons' head coaching job based on his OC work with the Titans.
While both of them certainly have offensive backgrounds and past experience as a head coach, might be it worth it swing a bit more decisively for someone that could elevate Cam Ward? After all both Smith and Nagy were fired in Atlanta and Chicago for poor quarterback play holding them back.
Matt Nagy, Arthur Smith listed as possible Titans HC candidates
Nagy seems like an odd choice. Not only has Patrick Mahomes looked mortal in the last two years (when he came back to Kansas City to replace OC Eric Bieniemy), but he isn't even the primary play-caller. While he did have a winning record with the Bears, he fell off when he didn't have the league's best defense to prop him up.
Smith was a mediocre 7-10 in each of his three years in Atlanta. While his quarterbacks (the ghost of Matt Ryan, one-year stopgap Marcus Mariota, and Desmond Ridder) left a ton to be desired, Smith was also maligned for not being able to get the ball to his star skill position players with regularity.
Picking someone with past experience might appeal to a Titans team that whiffed epically on a first-timer like Callahan, but there's an equally valid future in which these coaches prove to once again be better coordinators who draw up players than master teachers in charge of everything.
The Titans may have something in Ward, but hiring a coach like Callahan is proof enough that making the wrong hire could be enough to throw his positive momentum in the garbage.