Mike Munchak watches from the sidelines against the Houston Texans during the second half at LP Field. The Titans won 16-10. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports
Former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak had a chance to sign an extension with the team, but the stipulation was that he would have to fire the majority of the staff. In an honorable move, Munchak balked, but it’s still incredible to think that the Titans were prepared to keep a head coach who had a mediocre, disappointing tenure in his three seasons. That said, he’s not a bad coach (even though it was time for the Titans to move on from him), and it’s not surprising to hear that he’s getting looks from other teams.
ESPN’s Ed Werder reports that the Detroit Lions will interview Munchak on Friday, and it’s becoming clear that the Lions are leaning towards a head coach who has experience leading an NFL team. Munchak looks like the Lions consolation prize if they can’t land San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, who is the clear favorite for the job but remains in the playoffs. Whisenhunt is one of the top candidates around, with a Super Bowl appearance with the Arizona Cardinals being a top mark on his resume.
The Lions really need a head coach who can help take Matthew Stafford to the next level, because all Stafford needs is fine-tuning in order to make the most out of his elite arm talent. Whisenhunt is better than Munchak had working with and developing quarterbacks, but we’ll see what shakes out in Detroit.
Munchak played college football with the Penn State Nittany Lions, and he’s a top candidate for their head coaching vacancy.