Head coach Brian Callahan encountered severe backlash from fans after the Indianapolis Colts beat the Tennessee Titans 41-20. Callahan’s indecision during a time-out during the game enraged the crowd into chanting “fire Callahan.” The fans’ displeasure is justified as the Titans are 3-17 after his costly back-to-back timeouts against the Colts. The boos grew louder with each disorganised play until the clock ran out. The calls for Callahan’s firing are only getting higher. Few reporters have chimed in on it.

Mike Jones, writer at The Athletic, thinks writing is on the wall for Callahan, and he is on the hot seat. “Callahan and the Titans miraculously pulled off their first victory of the season, rallying from a 21-3 deficit to beat the Arizona Cardinals 22-21. Callahan can thank Jonathan Gannon’s squad for committing a slew of self-inflicted mistakes, and for a day or two, the air in Nashville will lighten. But there’s so much wrong with the operation and execution of this Titans team, and it appears as if Callahan is in over his head.” Pointing out that everything is wrong with the coaching of the team, and Callahan will be one of the first coaches to get fired.

“I don’t think about those things,” Callahan said after the game.

But considering that Brian Callahan has led the franchise into quicksand, he should think about it. As that is the most honest feedback he will ever receive for his tenure turning into a crisis. His shortcomings were made very evident by his performance against the Colts. At halftime, Tennessee missed a crucial opportunity. Callahan’s staff permitted a delay-of-game penalty on a would-be 57-yard field goal following two timeouts, causing it to be pushed back to 62 yards. The kick didn’t work. The Colts took advantage of it. In the first half, the Titans were behind 20–6.

Those errors were indicative. Callahan’s Titans routinely falter in the closing minutes of games, making them one of the NFL’s worst fourth-quarter teams. He was also in charge of the severe penalty problems. In 2024, the team tied for second-worst in the league with 132 penalties.

Through their first three games of 2025, the Titans ranked 28th in points scored and 31st in total yards. Yahoo Sports reported they were last in the NFL in yards per play during that stretch. Over his first 20 games as head coach, the team went 3-17, with the offense ranking 28th in points and last in total yards.

The failures keep happening. Game management errors. A lack of discipline. poor late-game adaptations. He even admitted he lacked control by giving up play-calling to his quarterbacks coach in the middle of the season in the Colts’ defeat. The NFL’s only team to lose all three of its games by more than seven points is the Titans. According to NFL Penalties, the team has a league-high 31 accepted penalties so far.

Callahan’s margin is gone since owner Amy Adams Strunk already has the knack of firing coaches in flashes. The fact that throughout the previous three seasons, the organization has sacked a general manager or head coach. And that leaves food for thought on who could be next.

Top replacements for Callahan

As Brian Callahan’s fate seems sealed, 5 coaching names rise as plausible successors. The Titans need balance and control. Let’s look at who could improve the glaring gaps in Tennessee’s operation. 

Joe Brady has led the Buffalo Bills to a 25–7 record since taking over Buffalo’s offense in late 2023. With his strategy, he scores 30 points on average per game. Buffalo finished in the top 10 in total, passing, and rushing offense in 2024, finished second in scoring (31.8 points per game), and had just eight turnovers, which was below the league average. Brady’s attack might relieve pressure on a vulnerable defense and counteract the Titans’ ongoing red-zone shortcomings.

Under Brian Flores’ leadership, the Minnesota Vikings‘ defense improved from 29th in 2022 to 14th in 2023 and then fifth in 2024 in terms of points allowed. The Minnesota Vikings finished third in the NFL with 53 takeaways during their two seasons. Under him, opponents average 96.1 rushing yards per game, which is the third-fewest. He also restricts the run. His plan might prevent Callahan’s Titans from collapsing in the closing minutes, which has plagued them.

Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has quickly proven his defensive brilliance. After leading Michigan’s 2023 championship defense, he took over a struggling Chargers unit in 2024 and transformed it into the NFL’s best scoring defense (17.7 PPG) and fifth-best on third down (35.7%). Now in 2025, Minter’s group remains elite, a testament to his ability to maximize talent at every level.

Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, at just 46, is showing why he deserves a second shot as an NFL head coach. While many praise rookie QB Jayden Daniels’ MVP-caliber 2024 season, Daniels credits Kingsbury for seamlessly integrating him into the offense. By identifying what made Daniels comfortable early and gradually expanding the playbook, Kingsbury helped Washington’s offense improve steadily, a skill any franchise looking for the right offensive leader would value, especially with quarterback Cam Ward being there.

The best move for a young quarterback is working with a play-caller who can adapt to different skill sets. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken has done exactly that, delivering 90-plus QB ratings with Jameis Winston, guiding Stetson Bennett to two national championships, and maximizing Lamar Jackson’s MVP-caliber talent.

His experience is undeniable. At both the NFL and collegiate levels, he has consistently evolved offenses, including Baltimore’s, before and after Derrick Henry, while crafting one of the league’s most efficient red-zone and third-down attacks. Monken may not be flashy, but his decades of coaching and proven success with multiple quarterback types make him a highly reliable candidate.

On the other hand, internal discussion reveals Mike McCoy as a potential caretaker. Titansized refers to him as “the ideal interim successor,” referencing his previous experience as a head/coordinator and his familiarity with the personnel.

However, each candidate brings data-backed strengths that are a decision away from changing the narrative for the franchise.