Mike Munchak expected back as Titans head coach, per report

The Tennessee Titans are now expected to retain head coach Mike Munchak through the 2014-15 season.

by James Brady

Jan 3, 2014, 11:08 PM UTC

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Update: The Titans fired Mike Munchak on Saturday, according to reports, after the publication of this article.

The Tennessee Titans will keep head coach Mike Munchak for another year, according to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean. Munchak met with team president Tommy Smith on Friday in Houston and "convinced him that the team is close to a breakthrough."

Later in the day, Smith released a statement that no final decision had been made on coaches and players:

I said all along that we would review every aspect of the football operations at the conclusion of the season - in early January. Today I sat down with Ruston and Mike and we discussed every coach and player on the roster. We had good discussions, but no final decisions were made.

General manager Ruston Webster added that he hopes the team comes to a decision soon.

Munchak was a coach many considered to be on the hot seat this season. At one point, Munchak’s Titans were doing well and in the thick of the playoff race, but the team fell behind and fell short of a .500 record. Tennessee finished at 7-9, though most figured the Titans would keep Munchak once he wasn’t fired right after the conclusion of the regular season.

Teams will often want to move quickly if they plan on ousting the head coach so they don't get left behind when it comes to the coaching search. Already, some big names have been having significant discussions, and the biggest in Lovie Smith has already signed on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tennessee spent big on free agents this offseason, and after a 3-1 start to the season, expectations were high. An injury to quarterback Jake Locker hurt the team's season, and that might be one reason Munchak is getting another shot.

Either way, the Titans have some decisions to make going forward. With a decent draft pick, assistant coaches on expiring contracts and some big player contracts to mull over, there’s a lot to be done.