Titans Promote Shane Bowen from OLB Coach to Defensive Coordinator

The Tennessee Titans announced Friday they have promoted outside linebackers coach Shane Bowen to defensive coordinator, a role that remained vacant in 2020 after Dean Pees retired following the 2019 season.

Titans head coach Mike Vrabel said he decided to promote from within, including assistant special teams coach Ryan Crow being elevated to fill Bowen's previous role, after a review of the coaching staff:

"I spent the last two weeks evaluating our current staff and talking with others outside our organization. I am excited for all of these guys taking the next step with us. ... Shane will move into the dedicated role of coordinator, with Ryan taking over the outside linebackers this year, and I am looking forward to him growing in that role. We are going to work hard to improve that side of the ball through better coaching, improving our system and our players. I like the group we have on the defensive staff and I am confident that we will improve."

Bowen played linebacker at Georgia Tech from 2006 to 2008 but suffered a career-ending neck injury in his junior season. He remained with the Yellow Jackets as a student assistant during his senior year, which was his first work as a coach.

After three years on the Georgia Tech staff, he spent 2012 as a graduate assistant at Ohio State before serving three seasons as a linebackers coach with FCS program Kennesaw State.

The 34-year-old Ohio native earned his first opportunity at the NFL level with the Houston Texans in 2016 as a defensive assistant. He joined the Titans staff in 2018.

Although Vrabel opted against using the defensive coordinator label in 2020, Bowen came the closest to filling the role.

"When I'm not in front of the defense, Shane Bowen will be that voice," Vrabel said before the season. "When I'm not in the defensive meeting room with the coaches, that will be Shane running it."

The Titans finished 28th in total defense (398.3 yards allowed per game), but Bowen credited the players for coming through in key moments to help the team win the AFC South with an 11-5 record.

"It comes down to the players; they believe they're going to win in those situations," Bowen told reporters. "We go into every game in this league thinking it's going to be close, because most of them are. Those end of game situations, the two-minute and four-minute, that's what you've got to practice and where you have to be your best."

Tennessee heads into the offseason as the early favorite in the division for 2021. The Texans and Indianapolis Colts face quarterback questions, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are rebuilding with the likely selection of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the first overall pick.

The Titans fell out of the playoffs in the Wild Card Round with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. They will need to make strides defensively under Bowen to emerge as a top Super Bowl contender.