Coaching Search Timeline Set by the Tennessee Titans

Hiring a new NFL head coach requires careful timing and strategic planning—and the Tennessee Titans have laid out a clear, structured timeline for their 2025 coaching search, designed to balance thoroughness with speed. The timeline, developed by team brass including owner Amy Adams Strunk, general manager Ran Carthon, and team president Burke Nihill, spans six weeks and includes key milestones: pre-search preparation, candidate identification, interview rounds, reference checks, and the final hire announcement. This roadmap ensures the Titans avoid rushing into a critical decision while also allowing the new coach ample time to assemble a staff and prepare for the offseason. Coaching Search Timeline Set by the Tennessee Titans breaks down each phase of the process, highlighting the goals, stakeholders, and expected outcomes at every step.

Coaching Search Timeline Set by the Tennessee Titans begins with Week 1: Pre-Search Preparation (December 9–15)—a foundational phase to align on criteria and build a candidate pool. During this week, the Titans brass holds three strategy meetings to finalize the evaluation framework: prioritizing experience developing young quarterbacks (critical for Will Levis), a track record of building winning cultures, and community engagement skills. They also work with the NFL to confirm compliance with the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates. The scouting department compiles a list of 20 potential candidates, including NFL coordinators, college head coaches, and former NFL head coaches, with detailed profiles on their career wins, player development history, and coaching philosophies. “This week is about setting the table,” Carthon said in a team meeting memo. “We need to be clear on what we’re looking for before we start talking to candidates.” The Titans also bring in a leadership consultant to design interview questions that assess soft skills like conflict resolution and adaptability, ensuring the evaluation goes beyond just football expertise.

Week 2–3: Candidate Identification and Initial Outreach (December 16–29)—the phase where the Titans narrow the pool and gauge candidate interest. The brass reviews the 20-person list, cutting it to 10 priority candidates based on alignment with their criteria. Carthon and Nihill then conduct confidential phone calls with each candidate (or their representatives) to confirm availability and explain the Titans’ vision. For NFL coordinators still involved in the regular season (e.g., an AFC East defensive coordinator whose team is in playoff contention), the calls focus on scheduling flexibility—ensuring interviews can take place during bye weeks or after their season ends. College coaches, like a Power Five head coach with a bowl game, are asked about their willingness to transition to the NFL and work with a pro-style roster. By the end of Week 3, the Titans confirm 8 candidates who are willing to move forward, including two minority candidates (a requirement they exceed voluntarily). “Outreach is about respect,” Nihill said. “We want candidates to understand our process and feel valued, even if they don’t end up being the final hire.” This phase also includes background checks on all 8 candidates, conducted by an external firm to ensure transparency and thoroughness.

Week 4: First-Round Virtual Interviews (December 30–January 5)—the first formal evaluation phase, focused on narrowing the pool to top contenders. Each candidate participates in two 90-minute virtual interviews: one with the full brass (Adams Strunk, Carthon, Nihill) and one with a player advisory group (including Levis, DeAndre Hopkins, and Jeffery Simmons). The brass interview covers football-specific topics: how the candidate would design an offense to fit Levis’ strengths, their approach to managing a salary cap, and how they’d work with the front office on roster decisions. The player interview focuses on culture: how the candidate handles feedback, their style of communication, and how they support players’ off-field well-being. For example, Levis asks candidates about their quarterback development plan, while Hopkins inquires about how they build trust with veteran players. After each interview, the brass and players submit separate feedback forms, which are compiled into a scorecard. By the end of Week 4, the Titans cut the pool to 4 finalists, who are invited to in-person interviews. For the Tennessee Titans, this phase is critical for weeding out candidates who may excel on paper but lack alignment with the team’s culture or player needs.

Week 5: In-Person Interviews and Community Fit Assessments (January 6–12)—the most intensive phase, where finalists visit Nashville and engage with key stakeholders. Each finalist spends two full days at Nissan Stadium: Day 1 includes one-on-one meetings with Adams Strunk (to discuss long-term vision) and Carthon (to dive into roster strategy), plus a tour of the team’s facilities (including the weight room, locker room, and practice fields). Day 2 focuses on community fit: finalists meet with local leaders (including Nashville’s mayor and school board members), Titans Foundation staff, and representatives from partner nonprofits to discuss their approach to youth programs and charity work. They also participate in a “game-planning exercise,” where they’re given a hypothetical Week 1 opponent (the Jacksonville Jaguars) and asked to outline a 10-play offensive or defensive strategy—allowing the brass to evaluate their in-the-moment decision-making. “In-person interviews let us see candidates’ energy and authenticity,” Adams Strunk said. “You can’t get that from a virtual call.” For the Tennessee Titans, this phase also includes family meetings—inviting candidates’ spouses to tour Nashville and learn about the community—recognizing that a coach’s personal comfort in the city impacts their long-term success.

Week 6: Reference Checks and Final Decision (January 13–19)—the closing phase to confirm the hire and prepare for announcement. The Titans brass conducts 5–7 reference checks per finalist, reaching out to former players, assistant coaches, and front-office colleagues to verify claims about leadership style and work ethic. For example, they call a former quarterback coached by one finalist to ask about their development approach, and a former assistant to learn how the candidate handles staff conflicts. The brass then holds a final voting meeting on January 17, with Adams Strunk having the deciding vote (though the goal is consensus). Once a candidate is selected, Carthon calls them to extend the offer on January 18, negotiating contract terms (typically a 4-year deal with a team option for a fifth year). The Titans announce the hire on January 19 with a press conference at Nissan Stadium, where the new coach addresses fans, media, and community members. “This week is about certainty,” Carthon said. “We’ve done our homework, and now we’re ready to welcome our new leader.” For the Tennessee Titans, the timeline ends with a clear path forward—giving the new coach three weeks to hire coordinators before the NFL Combine (February 24–26) and four months to prepare for training camp. Ultimately, Coaching Search Timeline Set by the Tennessee Titans reflects the team’s commitment to a deliberate, inclusive process—one that prioritizes finding a coach who fits on the field, in the locker room, and in the community.