Excluding the Tennessee Titans, there are six teams looking for head coaches right now, but that doesn't mean that the Titans are competing with six teams for their next head coach.
Reading the tea leaves, a few teams are already starting to lock in on one or two candidates. Luckily, the teams that are locking in on certain guys aren't stepping on the Tennessee Titans' toes too much, and when the dust settles they should have several quality options.
Let's go through the teams one by one and look at where they are at in the hiring process starting from the most settled to the least settled.
1. Atlanta Falcons: Not competing
The Atlanta Falcons looked at a few different names including Jim Harbaugh, but ultimately it looks like they are going to land their "big fish" and hire Bill Belichick as their next head coach. Josina Anderson is essentially reporting that it is a done deal as of Thursday morning.
Barring a snag in negotiations or a future development (still have to get a signature), I’m expecting Bill Belichick to become the next head coach of the NFC South* Atlanta Falcons. His previous rapport with #Falcons CEO Rich McKay creates comfort he can’t mimic in any other… https://t.co/lnVHs88mHK
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) January 18, 2024
2. Las Vegas Raiders: Not competing
The Raiders have interviewed people and looked around, but given how much the locker room loves Antonio Pierce and how they bungled the last head coaching search, it is very difficult to see how Pierce doesn't end up with this job.
Nothing is certain, but the backlash from the fan base and the locker room would be brutal and Pierce's comments and interviews this season make it seem like he is passionate about this job. Given the state of the roster and what he got out of this team, he has earned his chance and there isn't any information out there that points to him leaving.
3. L.A. Chargers: Not competing
For the Chargers, it seems like Jim Harbaugh is almost a foregone conclusion if Harbaugh wants the job. Michigan is putting together a massive deal for Harbaugh after he won a championship with the school, but it certainly seems like he has wanted to get back in the NFL for a few years.
If he passes, then the next target seems to be Dan Quinn or Mike Vrabel, but it certainly seems like those are backup plans that only come into play if they can't finish the deal with Harbaugh. If it is going to come down to those three, then that should mean that the Tennessee Titans top targets are still available.
Who the Tennessee Titans actually need to worry about
4. Washington Commanders: Competing
The Commanders nailed their GM search by hiring Adam Peters. Between that hiring, their draft capital, and their new ownership, it seems like the Commanders are going to have their choice of coaches in this cycle.
So far the Commanders have either interviewed, or will interview these candidates for their head coaching vacancy: Ben Johnson, Raheem Morris, Anthony Weaver, Mike MacDonald, and Dan Quinn.
Dan Quinn and Mike McDonald are the only names that overlap between the Commanders and Tennessee Titans coaching searches right now, but they are a team to keep an eye on.
5. Carolina Panthers: Competing
The Panthers should be the least enticing job in the NFL after trading picks and players to move up and get Bryce Young, only to watch him have a brutal first season where looked bad and didn't get much help.
However, their owner has a lot of money and that can be the deciding factor for a head coach. So far, they have interviewed/have interviews scheduled for Brian Callahan, Chris Tabor, Ejiro Evero, Todd Monken, Mike Macdonald, Frank Smith, Dan Quinn, and Raheem Morris.
Callahan, Macdonald, and Quinn are all coaches that the Tennessee Titans have interviewed, and Callahan is someone that they have already shown heavy interest in.
6. Seattle Seahawks: Competing
The Seattle Seahawks are going to be one to watch for the Tennessee Titans for the sole reason that if Dan Quinn lands in Seattle, it means that the Tennessee Titans should end up with either Bobby Slowik, Ben Johnson, or Brian Callahan.
In my opinion, those three candidates (along with Frank Smith), are the best options for the Tennessee Titans. Since the Titans haven't interviewed Smith, that means that if Seattle goes with Dan Quinn (who many think makes sense) or Smith, that is the best-case scenario for Tennessee.
So far, the Seahawks have scheduled or completed interviews for Dan Quinn, Frank Smith, Ejiro Evero, Raheem Morris, Mike Kafka, Patrick Graham, Ben Johnson, and Bobby Slowik.
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