As Brian Callahan fills out his first staff in Tennessee, the lack of holdovers from the previous staff is noteworthy.
Thus far, no 2023 Mike Vrabel assistants have been retained. That’s not to say some of them won’t be kept to work under Callahan – a few coaches, often younger, low-level assistants, survive a regime change.
In fact, Arthur Smith, who left after working his way up from a quality control coach to be offensive coordinator before going to Atlanta to be the Falcons’ head coach in 2021, survived five coaching changes to stay on the staff with the Titans before finally leaving to be the Falcons coach for three seasons.
But the fact that none of the prior staff has yet to be reported or confirmed as staying is a good sign. It’s not meant as a knock on those coaches, it’s just that Callahan seems to be very thorough with the process of filling out his first staff.
Callahan needs coaches that mesh with his vision, so it’s important he find the right people, no matter where they coached in 2023.
Meanwhile, Vrabel assistants Tony Dews, Terrell Williams, Ryan Crow, Rob Moore and others have managed to land elsewhere in the league.
It’s a tough, nomadic life, but it’s what these coaches sign up for. Like a banana republic, regime change leaves every man for himself in terms of finding the next job.
So in terms of coming and going, the coaching carousel certainly doesn’t stop now that all the head coaching vacancies are filled. In some ways, it’s just beginning.