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Titans conduct head coaching interview with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn

The Tennessee Titans completed an interview with Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on Wednesdaytheir fifth completed interviewto fill the vacancy left after firing former coach Mike Vrabel.

The Titans have also completed interviews with Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Las Vegas Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. They've reportedly requested interviews with as many as 10candidates, though many will not be available to speak to the Titans for another couple days.

HOT BOARD: 15 Tennessee Titans coaching candidates after Mike Vrabel fired, from Jim Harbaugh to Jim Schwartz

Get to know Dan Quinn

Quinn is the only candidate the Titans have interviewed who has NFL head coaching experience. Quinn led the Atlanta Falcons from 2015-20, taking the team to two playoff berths, one NFC South title and one Super Bowl appearance. He owned a 43-42 record as a head coach and was fired after an 0-5 start to the 2020 season.

A defensive-minded coach, Quinn's Atlanta team ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense or total defense one time apiece in his six seasons. Instead, the best Falcons teams thrived with a high-powered offense led by quarterback Matt Ryan, star receiver Julio Jones, a consistent offensive line and play-calling from offensive visionaries Kyle Shanahan and Steve Sarkisian, now the head coaches of the San Francisco 49ers and University of Texas respectively.

Before Atlanta, Quinn experienced success across numerous stops as a defensive assistant. Most notably, Quinn was defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks in 2013-14, helping lead the "Legion of Boom" era Seattle defense to their lone Super Bowl victory. Quinn had also spent time as an assistant in San Francisco, Miami and with the New York Jets as well as two seasons at the University of Florida.

In the years since being fired by Atlanta, Quinn has emerged as one of the NFL's top defensive coordinators again. The Cowboys have ranked seventh, fifth and fifth in scoring defense across his three seasons and were one of just five NFL teams to allow fewer than 300 yards of total offense per game in 2023.

Quinn has been a sought-after commodity this coaching cycle; in addition to the Titans, Quinn has either interviewed with or been requested for interviews by the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Chargers, Washington Commanders and the Seahawks. Quinn interviewed with three teams in the NFL's last hiring cycle but withdrew his name from consideration to remain with Dallas as an assistant coach.

About the Tennessee Titans open head coach job

Per NFL rules, the Titans may only conduct virtual interviews with all coaching candidates employed by another organization until the end of the second round of the NFL playoffs. The Titans are free to interview any candidate not currently employed by an NFL organization at any time and have been able to conduct virtual interviews with employees of teams that missed the postseason since three days after the completion of the regular season. The team will be allowed to conduct virtual interviews with coaches on teams that made the playoffs three days after their first playoff game ends.

TIMELINE: 11 dominoes that led to Mike Vrabel being fired as Tennessee Titans coach

This is the Titans' first coaching search in six years. Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk dismissed Vrabel on Jan. 9 citing a want for the franchise to improve its collaboration and alignment between ownership, the front office and the coaching staff.

Nick Suss is the Titans beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Nick at nsuss@gannett.com. Follow Nick on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @nicksuss.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans conduct head coaching interview with Cowboys coordinator Dan Quinn