The NFC East's arms race is officially on as the New York Giants and John Harbaugh are finalizing a deal to make him the next head coach. It marks the first, and most significant, domino to fall in the coaching carousel, as Harbaugh was the most coveted candidate on the market.
Previously moving at a snail's pace, the coaching market should now pick up some steam. The NFL playoffs may complicate that, but a plethora of candidates have already been eliminated.
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy previously interviewed with the Giants and was viewed as a legit candidate before Harbaugh joined the market. While McCarthy doesn't have widespread interest around the league, he may be the favorite for a sneaky good job.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McCarthy is scheduled to interview for the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching vacancy on Saturday. Tennessee feels like a perfect landing spot for McCarthy.
Ex-Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy would be a good fit with the Titans
McCarthy isn't the only candidate on the Titans' radar.
They've already interviewed former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, and have interviews set with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and former Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon for Sunday. They have also been linked with former Browns HC Kevin Stefanski.
Ideally, Tennessee would hire an offensive-minded coach to mentor 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward, who played really well in the final month of the season after struggling early.
Unlike last year, which was headlined by Ben Johnson, Liam Coen, and Kellen Moore, there aren't a lot of offensive-minded candidates. McDaniel, Stefanski, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak are the cream of this year's crop, but none of them has McCarthy's resume.
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McCarthy might not lead a team to a Super Bowl again, but the Titans aren't contending anytime soon. They need a culture-builder and floor-raiser who can make them respectable again and competitive in the AFC South. Exactly what Harbaugh is expected to do for the Giants.
For all of his flaws, McCarthy led the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons. It was the first time Dallas accomplished that since the 1990s. They enjoyed a period of consistency that Jason Garrett, Wade Phillips, and even Bill Parcells couldn't reach in their respective tenures.
The Titans finished 3-14 this season, but they're an attractive opening. Cam Ward looks like he's going to be a good quarterback, Jeffery Simmons is one of the best defenders in the league, and they're projected to have the most cap space of any team at $95.619 million, per Over The Cap.
McCarthy wouldn't be a sexy hire, but he's an experienced coach with a history of developing quarterbacks. It's easy to see the ex-Cowboys coach ending up in Tennessee.