The Tennessee Titans were scheduled to meet with priority head coaching candidate John Harbaugh at his private residence on Thursday. It wasn't to be. The meeting has been canceled, as Harbaugh agreed to terms overnight with the New York Giants, according to various reports.
General manager Mike Borgonzi and other front-office executives appeared destined to make their pitch. Harbaugh met with the Giants in-person on Wednesday. They put on the full-court press and eventually convinced Harbaugh to cancel his scheduled visits with the Titans and Atlanta Falcons.
Harbaugh was the safest and most proven coaching candidate on the market. The Titans shouldn't panic. They still have 18 alternate head coaching candidates they've identified throughout a thorough vetting process, and plenty of them qualify as ideal fits on paper.
Titans shouldn't panic after losing John Harbaugh sweepstakes
The majority of the Titans' search has focused on retread candidates. It's no surprise that Borgonzi prefers experience after the franchise previously whiffed on Brian Callahan. One of the high-upside retread options is Robert Saleh. The Titans are scheduled to meet with Saleh virtually on Sunday after he coaches the San Francisco 49ers defense in the divisional round.
Borgonzi and Co. recently met in person with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. The thought of placing franchise quarterback Cam Ward in McDaniel's brilliant offense is tempting. Former two-time Head Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski has also expressed interest in Tennessee's vacancy. Early candidate Matt Nagy looms in the background due to his relationship with Borgonzi.
And if the Titans are willing to swing on another first-time candidate, they're scheduled to interview the best options. Packers DC Jeff Hafley, Chargers DC Jesse Minter, and Rams DC Chris Shula are some of the most in-demand candidates this cycle. The Titans are slated to interview, or have interviewed, all three.
The Titans appeared to be legitimate suitors for Harbaugh's coaching services. The Giants went all-out in pursuit of him and eventually convinced him to bring his talents to East Rutherford. The Titans shouldn't worry. They should simply continue combing through their list of impressive options.