Titans Linked to Texans Coach in HC Search

It looks like a division rival could have their eyes on a particular Houston Texans coordinator for their head coaching search later this offseason.

According to NFL insider Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Titans, among a variety of other candidates, are expected to reach out to Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke for their head coaching role.

"Tennessee Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi and president of football operations Chad Brinker are leading the organization’s head coaching search, and I’m told their list is taking shape... including the Indianapolis Colts’ Lou Anarumo, the Green Bay Packers’ Jeff Hafley, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Anthony Campanile, the Rams’ Chris Shula, the Houston Texans’ Matt Burke and the Chargers’ Jesse Minter."

It's clear the Titans might be casting a wide net for their next head coach after opting to fire Brian Callahan midseason, so for some potential interest to linger in their division foes’ DC commanding the league's best scoring defense of the year, it's not too shocking of a development, if true.

Titans Might Have Interest in Texans DC Matt Burke

Burke has been with the Texans since the 2023 season as their defensive coordinator, now in his third campaign with Houston, having taken on a new role of being the team's defensive play-caller for most of the 2025 season.

Since the transition to the Texans' defensive play-caller in Week 4, the Texans' defense has remained both dominant and consistent as one of the best in the NFL. For the season, they're number one in the league for scoring defense (16.3), number one in yards allowed per game (269.2), and number one in EPA allowed per play (-0.18).

Those results are certainly hard to ignore, and for the Titans, it might just be enough to pique their interest in a potential head coaching gig.

Jan 13, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke in a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Titans are clearly in need of a fresh face to right the ship of a sinking franchise, and to help establish a new culture around their number-one overall pick in this year's draft, Cam Ward. Perhaps that focus, for Tennessee's front office, leans toward prioritizing the defensive side of the ball and building a strong staff around them.

Burke, 49, has never been an NFL head coach in his career since joining the league in 2004. Burke actually wound up starting his NFL coaching career as a part of the Tennessee staff as an assistant from 2004 to 2008, before eventually moving to the Detroit Lions as a linebackers coach in 2009.

If the Texans' defense continues to play at its current rate of potency down the stretch of the season, Burke might be squarely in the mix for the Titans' job, and potentially head coaching looks across the NFL that come available––and especially so if Houston manages to make a deep postseason run that brings even more attention to their number-one scoring defense.

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