According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Indianapolis Colts veteran defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo could be a top candidate for the Tennessee Titans head coaching vacancy this offseason:
The Titans recently made national headlines again—but for the wrong
reasons, after firing head coach Brian Callahan earlier this week, who compiled a 4-19 overall record during his now shortened two disappointing seasons in Tennessee.
Titans former senior offensive assistant Mike McCoy has been named the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season.
The 59-year-old Anarumo has coached a much improved Colts defensive unit this season, which ranks 4th best in the NFL in allowed points against (19.3 avg. ppg.) and is tied for 5th most league-wide in total takeaways (9).
During his six seasons with the Bengals as defensive coordinator, prior to joining Indianapolis this past offseason, Anarumo’s units ranked as follows in the land of Skyline Chili:
2024: 25th (25.5 avg. ppg)
2023: 21st (22.6 avg. ppg)
2022: 6th (20.1 avg. ppg)
2021: 17th (22.1 avg. ppg)
2020: 22nd (26.5 avg. ppg)
2019: 25th (26.3 avg. ppg)
His Bengals’ defenses seemed to fall off in more recent seasons on units that lost a lot of its veteran talent to free agency, but he’s been highly regarded for his ability to game plan and scheme specifically to each weekly opponent.
While his current Colts unit has certainly been upgraded by the veteran additions of Cam Bynum and Charvarius Ward in the revamped Indy secondary, we’ve seen firsthand how the ‘Mad Scientist’ has operated so far this year.
There’s still work to be done, particularly regarding obtaining a more consistent pass rush and continuing to shore up a patchwork secondary collectively (and that other glaring hole at coverage linebacker); however, it’s been refreshing to have a defensive coordinator who adapts and has tailored gameplans to his opponents. Rather than just a defensive coordinator who routinely sits in soft zone coverage, no matter who the Colts are playing, the down, and/or the in-game situation.
The Colts at 5-1 are currently one of the best teams in football, and it’s a copy cat league, so many of their rivals are trying to steal some of that success going forward. We saw that last go around when the Colts made the playoffs in 2020 and soon lost the likes of Nick Sirianni, Matt Eberflus, and Jonathan Gannon to head coaching opportunities elsewhere on then former Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich’s coaching staff.
