Titans coaching search: 10 potential candidates to replace Mike Mularkey

Titans general manager Jon Robinson is on the hunt for a head coach after firing Mike Mularkey on Monday morning.

Robinson said he’s looking for a leader who has a team-first mindset, is detailed, tough, dependable and “one that’s going to maximize the abilities of the players in all three phases of the game.”

More: To the Titans front office: It's up to you to make this right

Mularkey guided the Titans to back-to-back winning seasons, the franchise’s first playoff appearance in nine years and first playoff victory in 14 years. But the Titans fell short of expectations, wasting a prime opportunity to win the AFC South, and quarterback Marcus Mariota regressed in several major categories, notably throwing more interceptions than touchdowns.

“We’ve started that search this morning,” Robinson said, “going through names and bios and starting to build the list of potential candidates. It helps to have relationships in the league, and be able to call on those relationships that might have a connection with a potential candidate, even though I might not have a one-on-one relationship with that person. Someone you can trust that will kind of shoot you straight on the candidate.”

Ten potential candidates likely on Robinson’s list:

Josh McDaniels, Patriots offensive coordinator

McDaniels owns five Super Bowl rings, including two as offensive coordinator, and is credited with developing Tom Brady.

Robinson spent 12 seasons in the Patriots’ front office, making it easy to connect the dots.

But McDaniels is in line to become the Colts’ next head coach, and the Titans are unable to interview him until after the Patriots’ season ends.

The same goes for any other assistant coach whose team is still playing.

The window to interview assistant coaches on Super Bowl teams, after the conference title games, is only for second interviews, according to a team spokesperson.

More: Josh McDaniels nearing deal to become Colts' new coach

Pat Shurmur, Vikings offensive coordinator

Another prime candidate the Titans may miss out on because of timing.

Shurmur is in line to become the next head coach of the Giants, but would seem to make for a top target in Tennessee after helping guide Minnesota, a team with Case Keenum as its quarterback, to the NFC championship game.

Shurmur served as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator under Chip Kelly, running a similar system to the one Mariota thrived in at Oregon.

More: Pat Shurmur expected to be hired as Giants next coach

Mike Vrabel, Texans defensive coordinator

The first official candidate, Tennessee begins the interview process by sitting down with Vrabel on Thursday.

Vrabel won three Super Bowls while playing linebacker for the Patriots, a tenure that overlapped with Robinson’s time in the team’s personnel department.

Previous NFL playing experience tends to play well in the locker room.

Vrabel has been with the Texans for four seasons, but has been the team’s defensive coordinator for just one season. He was promoted from linebackers coach.

Vrabel has interviewed with the Colts and Lions.

Steve Wilks, Panthers defensive coordinator

Wilks will also interview with the Titans on Thursday, according to a league source. He just completed his first year as Carolina’s assistant head coach/defensive coordinator after serving as the team’s secondary coach for five seasons.

Wilks has serious credentials and satisfies the Rooney Rule, which mandates an interview for a minority coach. The Panthers’ defense has ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed five times during Wilks’ tenure.

Wilks has interviewed with the Giants, Cardinals and Colts, and has been rumored to be targeting DeFilippo as his offensive coordinator.

More: NFL coaching tracker: Latest news on candidates, job openings

Matt LaFleur, Rams offensive coordinator

The 38-year-old LaFleur will reportedly interview with the Titans on Friday. He worked wonders with Rams quarterback Jared Goff in his first season as Rams offensive coordinator.

LaFleur spent the previous two seasons as Matt Ryan’s quarterback coach in Atlanta. Ryan was named NFL MVP and offensive player of the year as the Falcons reached the Super Bowl.

LaFleur also spent four seasons as quarterback coach with the Redskins, where he worked with Robert Griffin III.

John DeFilippo, Eagles quarterbacks coach

DeFilippo is a hot name on account of his work with Carson Wentz, who was a strong MVP candidate in his second pro season and had the Eagles poised for a Super Bowl run before tearing an ACL.

DeFilippo joined the Eagles in 2016 after spending one season as the Browns’ offensive coordinator. Under his tutelage in Cleveland, Josh McCown posted a 93.3 passer rating, the fifth-best mark in franchise history.

DeFilippo also helped develop Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

More: Tennessee Titans looking for third coach in the Marcus Mariota era

Jim Bob Cooter, Lions offensive coordinator

The 33-year-old Cooter was raised in Fayetteville and played backup quarterback for the Tennessee Volunteers.

He’s also served as an offensive assistant with the Colts, Chiefs and Broncos, helping Denver reach Super Bowl XLVIII. Peyton Manning has vouched for Cooter, who was named the Lions’ offensive coordinator midway through the 2015 season.

Matthew Stafford has thrived since Cooter’s promotion, demonstrating improved accuracy while reducing his turnovers.

Frank Reich, Eagles offensive coordinator

Reich’s name isn’t bandied around like DeFilippo’s because Eagles coach Doug Pederson calls the team’s plays. But a conversation with Reich may be worth Robinson’s time.

Reich played quarterback for the Bills, Panthers, Jets and Lions, serving as Jim Kelly's backup in Buffalo.

He's been an offensive assistant since 2008, spending time with the Colts, Cardinals and Chargers before joining the Eagles in 2016. He was the offensive coordinator in San Diego for two seasons prior to accepting the job in Philadelphia.

Matt Patricia, Patriots defensive coordinator

This is a longshot, because Patricia is reportedly in line to become the Lions’ next head coach.

But Patricia rates among the most attractive candidates in the field. The Patriots finished top 10 in the NFL in points allowed in each of his six seasons as defensive coordinator.

Lions general manager Bob Quinn, like Robinson, spent more than a decade in the Patriots’ personnel department.

Jim Schwartz, Eagles defensive coordinator

Schwartz owns a home in Nashville and could potentially bring DeFilippo along as his offensive coordinator.

Schwartz, who began his coaching career on Bill Belichick's staff in Cleveland, served as an assistant coach with the Titans from 1999 to 2008, the last eight as defensive coordinator, before being named head coach of the Lions. He’s been with the Eagles since 2016.

Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter at @JasonWolf and on Instagram and Snapchat at TitansBeat.