Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley took another step forward in the NFL head‑coaching sweepstakes this week as he landed a second interview with the Tennessee Titans. The meeting keeps Hafley among a trio of finalists being vetted to replace the fired head coach and positions him as a leading candidate on several clubs’ radars.
Hafley’s interview schedule with Tennessee followed a flurry of league activity that already had the Titans bringing in two other coordinators for follow‑ups. The team is conducting a compressed search while weighing options that blend defensive acumen with experience managing a modern roster that includes a young franchise quarterback and a top draft pick. The timeline suggests Tennessee’s front office wants a decisive hire before free agency and the draft.
The Packers will likely prepare for life without Hafley if he lands a head‑coaching job, a scenario the staff and front office have discussed privately. Hafley’s rapid ascension from college head coach to one of the NFL’s more respected defensive coordinators has made him a popular candidate in this coaching cycle, and Green Bay’s recent defensive improvements under his direction have only heightened interest.
For Tennessee, the appeal is clear. The franchise seeks a leader who can install a defensive identity while coordinating roster building around a rookie quarterback and high draft capital. Hafley’s resume, which includes stints coaching defensive backs in multiple NFL stops and a head‑coaching tenure in college, ticks multiple boxes for an organization intent on rebuilding quickly and sustainably.
Tennessee Titans Set to Interview Green Bay Packers’ Jeff Hafley for Head Coaching Gig
The Titans are have scheduled an interview for Hafley for their head coaching job. Unfortunately, the Miami Dolphins got the defensive coordinator to sign with them. The former is detailed more in a tweet by Ian Rapoport on X.
Sources: The #Titans scheduled an in-person interview with #49ers DC Robert Saleh tomorrow afternoon. He’s a serious candidate, despite not overlapping with GM Mike Borgonzi.
Matt Nagy tomorrow morning. Saleh in the afternoon, plus Jeff Hafley for Tuesday — TEN has its top 3. pic.twitter.com/4U3t1QgaRm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 18, 2026
The broader head‑coach market has been active, with teams scheduling multiple second interviews and moving swiftly through candidates. That urgency raises the stakes for Hafley and the Titans, where interviews are as much about vision and fit as they are about Xs and Os. Positive impressions in these meetings could convert interest into offers within days.
The next 72 hours appear pivotal for Hafley’s prospects, and the Titans’ decision will reverberate through both organizations as coaching search season reaches a critical juncture.
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