Texans Need Titans to Botch Head Coaching Hire

Six weeks into the 2025 NFL season, one of the biggest surprises is just how competitive the AFC South has become. The Houston Texans were the clear cut favorite to win the division coming into the season, but the Indianapolis Colts (5-1) and Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) have both jumped out in front, leaving the Texans as a +650 underdog to win the division in which they’ve ruled supreme the last two seasons. 

With the Colts and the Jaguars looking like they’ve figured a few things out, the last thing the Texans need is the Tennessee Titans evolving into a threat. This week, the Titans fired their head coach, Brian Callahan, after a 4-19 record over one full season plus six games. This was bad news for the rest of the AFC South, as Callahan appeared to be a dope. 

The Titans drafted a talented quarterback, Miami’s Cam Ward, with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so a big part of Callahan’s termination had to be concern that he might damage the most valuable asset in the organization, the future franchise quarterback. Thus, the last thing that the Texans (and Colts and Jags, for that matter) need is Tennessee stumbling into a good head coaching hire. 

The Titans actually HAD a good head coach in Mike Vrabel, who has put together a 4-2 record this season with the New England Patriots, but they fired him after the 2023 season. Now, the Titans are giving themselves another bite at the head coaching apple. Who are the candidates that would concern me, as a Texans fan? In other words, whoa re the candidates that might get the bets version of Ward? Here are four:

MIKE McCARTHY, former Packers and Cowboys head coach

McCarthy is the only Super Bowl winning head coach on this list, and in two of the more high pressured jobs, 13 seasons in Green Bay and 5 seasons in Dallas, McCarthy stacked several division titles and a very respectable 174-112-2 overall record. Most importantly, Aaron Rodgers won multiple MVP awards in McCarthy’s offense with McCarthy calling plays, and he also got the best version of Dak Prescott at times in Dallas. His experience is his weapon, as he would know a thing or two about establishing a culture and garnering respect from the locker room. 

KLIFF KINGSBURY, former Cardinals head coach and current Commanders OC

Kingsbury had a very pedestrian 28-37-1 record in his four seasons in Arizona, and more importantly, developed a reputation as kind of a soft touch, so if he’s looking at second chance as a head coach, hopefully Kingsbury has read a few books on culture setting. The big thing in Kingsbury’s favor is his role in developing 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jayden Daniels, with the Commanders. Kingsbury coaching Cam Ward is a scary proposition for the rest of the division. 

JOE BRADY, Bills offensive coordinator 

Brady has had an interesting career trajectory. He really burst onto the scene at the collegiate level as the passing game coordinator for the national champion LSU Tigers in 2019. From there, he was probably humbled a bit as the offensive coordinator in Carolina in 2020-2021. The last couple seasons in Buffalo have been outstanding, though, as he has orchestrated the best rushing offense in football this season, and was the play caller for Josh Allen’s MVP season in 2024. 

BRIAN FLORES, former Dolphins head coach and current Vikings DC

Let’s throw one defensive head coach into the mix, shall we? Flores did some good things with the Dolphins in his three seasons (2019-2021) there, finishing about .500 his final two seasons. However, his undoing was the perception that he ruined a young QB in Tua Tagovailoa, with his rough style of head coaching. I think we have enough data now to know that Tua might be a little soft, and perhaps Flores wasn’t the problem. Obviously, Flores would need to come in with a real plan on the offensive side of the ball, including a convincing offensive coordinator hire.  

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