NFL Coaching Credentials Of Titans Candidates
NASHVILLE— The Tennessee Titans have begun their search for a new coach, with interviews starting on Friday and expected to continue through the weekend. Reports suggest they interviewed Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan on Friday at the Titans' facility. Callahan is being considered for the head coach position after the departure of Mike Vrabel earlier this week.
According to the NFL Network, Antonio Pierce, the interim coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, is scheduled to interview with the Titans over the weekend. On Friday, the Titans also conducted a Zoom interview with Mike Kafka, the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants.
Titans' owner Amy Adams Strunk and general manager Ran Carthon have scheduled interviews with nine coaches, with Callahan, Kafka, and Pierce among the first.
Let's take a look at each coach and their credentials.
BRIAN CALLAHAN
Age: 39
Current Job: offensive coordinator, Cincinnati Bengals
Credentials: Callahan has been serving as the offensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals since he joined the head coach Zac Taylor's staff before the 2019 season. Before joining the Bengals, he worked as a coach for the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Raiders, and Denver Broncos.
Callahan's tenure in Denver included being a part of the coaching staff that won the Super Bowl 50 championship. Callahan is considered an offensive genius for his work with quarterbacks Joe Burrow and Matt Stafford.
MIKE KAFKA
Age: 36
Current Job: offensive coordinator, New York Giants.
Credentials: In 2022, Kafka became the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants, joining Brian Daboll's staff. He began his NFL coaching career as a quality control coach on Andy Reid's staff with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017.
Kafka was later promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2018, and worked with QBs until 2021. During 2020-21, he served as the quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator, working closely with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
ANTONIO PIERCE
Age: 45
Current job: Interim coach, Las Vegas Raiders
Credentials: Pierce led the Raiders to a 5-4 record after taking over for fired coach Josh McDaniels. Prior to his appointment as interim coach, Pierce had only been a head coach at the high school level.
Pierce served as the coach of Long Beach Poly, a highly regarded California team, from 2014 to 2017. After that, he worked as an assistant coach at Arizona State until 2022, when he joined McDaniels' staff.
BOBBY SLOWIK
Age: 36
Current job: Offensive coordinator, Houston Texans
Credentials: Slowik's work with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud in his first year in Houston has made him a popular name in this coaching cycle.
Slowik started his NFL coaching career as a defensive assistant in Washington from 2011 to 2013. In 2017, he shifted to the offensive side of the ball and started working for the 49ers. He was later promoted to passing game coordinator before joining DeMeco Ryans in moving to Houston this season.
AARON GLENN
Age: 51
Current job: Defensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
Credentials: During his NFL career from 1994-2008, Glenn played as a defensive back for the New York Jets, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints.
Glenn was selected for the Pro Bowl three times during his career and later became an assistant defensive backs coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2014.
Glenn served as a defensive backs coach for the Saints from 2016 to 2020. He was later hired as the defensive coordinator for the Lions in 2021. Glenn also interviewed for the head coaching position at the Indianapolis Colts last year, but the job was ultimately given to Shane Steichen.
BEN JOHNSON
Age: 37
Current job: Offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
Credentials: Johnson was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022 after serving in multiple roles on the Lions' coaching staff for three seasons. He joined the Lions in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach and played a significant role in the passing game during the first season of Lions' Head Coach Dan Campbell in Detroit.
Before joining the Detroit Lions, he was promoted to wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins in 2018. There, he helped Albert Wilson average the second-most yards after catch (12.9) in the NFL and the fifth-highest yards per target (11.2).
MIKE MACDONALD
Age: 36
Current job: Defensive coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
Credentials: In 2022, MacDonald rejoined the Ravens as their defensive coordinator. He previously served in Baltimore for seven seasons, from 2014 to 2020.
During that time, MacDonald held various positions, including linebackers coach (2018-20), defensive backs coach (2017), defensive assistant (2015-16), and defensive coaching intern (2014). He spent the 2021 season as Michigan's defensive coordinator before returning to the Ravens.
DAN QUINN
Age: 53
Current Job: Defensive Coordinator, Dallas Cowboys
Credentials: Quinn started his NFL career in 2001 with the 49ers as a defensive quality control coach. He worked in the same role with the Dolphins, Jets, and Seahawks before 2013, when he got promoted to defensive coordinator on Pete Caroll's staff.
In February 2015, Quinn became the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. During his five-year tenure, he managed a regular season record of 43-42 and led the team to two postseason appearances.
In 2016, Quinn helped the Falcons to an NFC title and its second Super Bowl appearance. Under his leadership, the team's defense ranked sixth in the league and managed to force 105 turnovers.
Brian Johnson
Age: 36
Current Job: Philadelpia Eagles
Credentials: After the 2022 football season, Johnson was given a promotion to the position of offensive coordinator. This decision came after the Eagles had an impressive 14-3 record and made it to the Super Bowl LVII.
Prior to his promotion, Johnson had coached the quarterbacks for the team from 2021-2022. During this period, he played a significant role in the development of Jalen Hurts, who recorded the second-highest winning percentage (.733, 22-8) among all NFL quarterbacks in that span, only behind Patrick Mahomes (.765, 26-8).
Related Titans Stories
- TITANS COMPLETE INTERVIEW WITH CALLAHAN: Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan had a virtual interview with Tennessee Titans leadership on Friday. Callahan has 14 years of coaching experience in the NFL. CLICK HERE
- MIKE VRABEL WON'T COACH PATRIOTS: The New England Patriots hire a successor to replace Bill Belichick. But it isn't former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel. The Pats' new leader is Jerod Mayo. CLICK HERE
- TITANS COMPLETE INTERVIEW WITH KAFKA: New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka interviewed Friday with Tennessee Titans leadership for the head coaching vacancy. Kafka is the second coach to hold a virtual interview with the team. CLICK HERE
