Head Coach Candidates 2026 Edition

[TeamRamrod]

I could maybe get behind Tomlin if he brought Art with him. I don’t trust his Matt Canada/Todd Haley hiring ass with a new OC though 

[scine09]

1 minute ago, tgo said:

 

It's unlikely of course, but if he were to get another shot at OC it could look something like a Weaver setup where he's the third choice they end up pivoting to or something. I think he's a stylistic fit for Ward and mentioned him because of the Weaver connection. 

 

More than likely he ends up back with Vrabel in a senior assistant capacity. 

 

I enjoyed his offense so much more than the Callahan offense, and of course liked that hire from the start (hated the Downing hire). Definitely a better fit for guys like Levis/Ward than Callahan's pure West Coast system. 

That wasn't his offense though, it was what Vrabel told him to run.  Just like Downing.  I don't think we really know what Downing/Kelly are.

[Callidus]

4 minutes ago, Pragidealist said:

I like this.  We should go ahead and hire 17. Then fire one at each loss...

I said we should do that with interim coaches this year so you know im all in for this. 

[tgo]

The thing with Tomlin is that he probably guarantees a floor and stabilizes a franchise bobbing in the gutter. 

 

But with how front-office-centric the Titans new set up is, and with Tomlin wanting full control over his coaching staff, would it be a workable marriage? I'm not sure. Also the desire by the org to move toward a more analytics centered approach would seem to not be compatible with Tomlin's old school views on that. 

[tgo]

10 minutes ago, scine09 said:

That wasn't his offense though, it was what Vrabel told him to run.  Just like Downing.  I don't think we really know what Downing/Kelly are.

 

You could definitely see the tendencies differentiate between those two. 

 

But the system that Kelly/Downing both ran is rooted in the Erhardt/Perkins verbiage and philosophy (which is what McDaniels uses also). Kelly ran the same system under BOB and it looked quite similar stylistically between both O'Brien and Vrabel - which is why that hiring was a fit. 

 

The Titans variation under Vrabel was an interesting mix though - they kept the LaFleur zone run game (Shanahan OZ) but used the Erhardt/Perkins system and passing philosophy overall. That's partially why the run game and pass game often seemed disjointed. 

 

Anyway, Erhardt/Perkins philosophy (BOB, Daboll, Tim Kelly, McDaniels, Mularkey to an extent) is very different than the West Coast systems of the Gruden/Reid/Callahan varieties (power/man blocking centrally, some inside zone). Also of course much different than the Shanahan tree which is much more reliant on pre-snap motions and recognition, and outside zone running to control the horizontal flow of the defense. Lot more 2 TE sets, roll-outs, play-action, etc. 

Edited yesterday at 08:33 PM by tgo

[scine09]

This franchise needs a Tomlin type.  In the worst way.  I may not be the biggest Tomlin fan but for where the franchise is now it would be a home run hire imo.

[AvgJoe]

11 minutes ago, tgo said:

 

You could definitely see the tendencies differentiate between those two. 

 

But the system that Kelly/Downing both ran is rooted in the Erhardt/Perkins verbiage and philosophy (which is what McDaniels uses also). Kelly ran the same system under BOB and it looked quite similar stylistically between both O'Brien and Vrabel - which is why that hiring was a fit. 

 

The Titans variation under Vrabel was an interesting mix though - they kept the LaFleur zone run game (Shanahan OZ) but used the Erhardt/Perkins system and passing philosophy overall. That's partially why the run game and pass game often seemed disjointed. 

 

Anyway, Erhardt/Perkins philosophy (BOB, Daboll, Tim Kelly, McDaniels, Mularkey to an extent) is very different than the West Coast systems of the Gruden/Reid/Callahan varieties (power/man blocking centrally, some inside zone). Also of course much different than the Shanahan tree which is much more reliant on pre-snap motions and recognition, and outside zone running to control the horizontal flow of the defense. Lot more 2 TE sets, roll-outs, play-action, etc. 

Weaver IMO is a very strong candidate 

[tgo]

My hope would be that Anthony Weaver would be a young Tomlin, but born out of the Ravens defensive legacy and more open to on field analytics. 

 

The actual Tomlin would be pretty sweet too though. With a franchise QB, his consistent approach could work wonders for an aimless franchise. I'm not sure I can fully envision that coming to fruition though. 

[tgo]

14 minutes ago, AvgJoe said:

Weaver IMO is a very strong candidate 

 

I think him becoming a HC somewhere is inevitable. Unlike someone like Kafka, who may never get another shot if he doesn't make it with the Giants. 

 

Weaver I think is basically like some mix of Tomlin and Vrabel, but without the unnecessary stubborn asshole vibes. Like a more charismatic and newer age version of Todd Bowles. 

 

But I guess Bowles is really more of a scheme guru who calls his own defense, whereas Weaver is more of a pure leader-of-men type that doesn't hang his hat on being a scheme guru and most likely wouldn't call the defense. 

 

Weaver totally lights up and commands any room that he walks into (is physically large too - prototype 5T DE build), but with kind of a charismatic optimism moreso than a Vrabel-esque snarky insecure Alpha vibe. 

Edited yesterday at 08:56 PM by tgo

[AussieTitanFan08]

Tomlin looks like a HC that could do with a year out of the NFL to recharge his batteries.

[rns90]

57 minutes ago, scine09 said:

This franchise needs a Tomlin type.  In the worst way.  I may not be the biggest Tomlin fan but for where the franchise is now it would be a home run hire imo.

This part in underrated .  We are a damn joke and need to get back to a respectable level.

 

Whatever you think about Tomlin the guy can coach and above whatever talent level is there.

 

I think he takes the Bengals job if he’s fired and that one is open though.

[Callidus]

15 minutes ago, rns90 said:

This part in underrated .  We are a damn joke and need to get back to a respectable level.

 

Whatever you think about Tomlin the guy can coach and above whatever talent level is there.

 

I think he takes the Bengals job if he’s fired and that one is open though.

While I agree tomlin would get us out of the dumpster I haven't seen anythkng in his near 20 years to make me think he will make the leap to contender coach. But if everyone just wants fisher+ then sure.  

 

Also him with the bengals would also be funny since marv lewis was practically fisher as well. 

[OzTitan]

The parallels of the Titans hiring Tomlin to the Rams hiring Fisher....

[scine09]

Tomlin won a Super Bowl.  Could've easily won two.

[BeedoeLaw]

Well........steelers fans are doing their part to run him off. Nothing like prying into a man's extramarital affairs to make him want to leave. I could give a fuck less about his moral compass. He is a leader of men!