The Tennessee Titans will be on the search for a new head coach this NFL offseason after the firing of Brian Callahan. The overall betting favorite to win the job is Kliff Kingsbury, who has become a head coaching candidate once again after his recent successes as an offensive coordinator.
Should Kliff Kingsbury Get Another Shot As An NFL Head Coach?
He might be just what the team needs. In the evolving landscape of the league, offensive creativity and quarterback development have become critical. Kliff Kingsbury brings exactly that. For a Titans franchise looking to reboot their identity and stay competitive in a quarterback-driven league, Kingsbury offers a compelling long-term upside.
Here are three reasons why Kingsbury would be a good fit with Tennessee:
1. Scheme Fit & Adaptability
While many offensive gurus and former coordinators bring in noted systems and schemes, Kingsbury has been known to be flexible. When he coached in the college ranks, his offenses were high-powered and pass-heavy, drawing on elements of the “Air Raid” and spread attack. But during his time in the NFL, he’s shown he’s willing to adapt, using workable concepts rather than blindly importing a college system.
Bringing Kingsbury wouldn’t raise any concerns in that area. Even factoring in his evolution over time, he remains adept at tailoring his offense to his personnel rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all scheme. That would make his hiring a low-risk one, at least in terms of development of a young offense.
2. History Of Quarterback Development
One of Kingsbury’s standout strengths over the years has been developing quarterbacks. At the college level, he had guys like Johnny Manziel and Baker Mayfield under his wing, but his most notable partnership was with Patrick Mahomes when the two were together at Texas Tech. When he returned to the collegiate ranks after leading Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in his first NFL job, his project was leading Caleb Williams at USC. Most recently, he helped make Jayden Daniels the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The Titans have one of the youngest quarterback talents in the league in Cam Ward. The former college standout could thrive under the tutelage of Kingsbury, who could tailor an offense and scheme to Ward’s strengths and bring out the strengths that made him a no.1 overall pick.
3. Recent Offensive Coordinator Success
Kingsbury wasn’t as successful in his first NFL head coaching job as he’d hoped to be. In four years on the job as the leader of the Cardinals from 2019 to 2022, his team posted a record of 28-37-1. They made just one playoff appearance, which came during the 2021 campaign when Arizona went 11-6, but that ended up being the only winning season on Kingsbury’s resume.
It was unclear if he’d ever get another shot, but his time in the lower ranks has been beneficial. His work with Williams at USC gave him back some of his notoriety as an offensive mind and QB developer, which got him back into the NFL and into his current role as the offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders.
When his unit was healthy in 2024, 5th in points and 7th in yards, which played a huge part in the team advancing all the way to the NFC Championship Game. Those numbers have slipped a bit in 2025 as the team has dealt with injuries, but Kingsbury is still held in high enough regard to be the betting favorite (+300) to land the Titans’ job.
