Ian Rapoport lists Steelers coach as 'name to watch' for Titans head coach vacancy

Mike Moraitis

Ian Rapoport lists Steelers coach as 'name to watch' for Titans head coach vacancy image

The Tennessee Titans need a new head coach after firing Brian Callahan on Monday and a Pittsburgh Steelers coach is already being named as a potential candidate.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is a "name to watch" for the Titans' job, as is Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.

It is not surprising to hear Smith's name thrown into the mix this early.

After all, Smith put himself on the head-coaching map during his stint as the Titans' offensive coordinator from 2019 through 2020, so he has plenty of familiarity with the franchise.

Smith called the plays for one of the elite offenses in the league in that span and helped Ryan Tannehill revive his career in Nashville. The Titans shocked the world and made it all the way to the AFC title game in 2019 and then went 11-5 in 2020.

Smith went on to get the head-coaching gig with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021, but his tenure was a bust. The Falcons went 7-10 in each season and never made the playoffs, which resulted in Smith getting the boot in 2024.

The former Titans offensive coordinator quickly landed on his feet by taking the same role with the Steelers, but safe to say his first season in Pittsburgh didn't go well, although it's hard to blame that all on him, as the offensive line and quarterback play was poor.

Things have improved in 2025, though, thanks to the addition of Aaron Rodgers and better play upfront.

If Smith and the Steelers' offense can finish the year strong, it's conceivable he'll draw interest from teams with head-coaching vacancies, with the Titans being included in that group.

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Mike Moraitis

Mike Moraitis is a freelance writer who covers the NFL for the Sporting News. Over his nearly two decades covering sports, Mike has also worked for Bleacher Report, USA TODAY and FanSided. He hates writing in the third person.