Lions to sign Bay Area native Ertz before NFC title game vs. 49ers; De La Salle grad nears head coaching job with Titans
Monday was a pretty big day in the NFL for a pair of former East Bay high school football players.
Hours after the Detroit Lions signed former Monte Vista High star tight end Zach Ertz to play the 49ers in Sunday’s NFC Championship, the Tennessee Titans were on the verge of hiring ex-De La Salle High quarterback Brian Callahan as their new head coach.
Although a contract hasn’t ye been signed, Callahan, the former De La Salle High quarterback and Raiders assistant coach whose father once coached Oakland to the Super Bowl, agreed Monday night to become the Titans coach.
The Titans chose the 39-year-old Callahan, who was Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, to replace Mike Vrabel, who was fired on Jan. 9 after six seasons and losing 18 of his final 24 games.
Callahan was the first of 10 candidates to interview with Tennesee, a list that included ex-Stanford head coach David Shaw.
The Titans chose the 39-year-old Callahan, who was Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator, to replace Mike Vrabel, who was fired on Jan. 9 after six seasons and losing 18 of his final 24 games.
Callahan becomes the third coach hired since the season ended Jan. 7. New England promoted Jerod Mayo to replace Bill Belichick, and the Raiders elevated their interim coach, Antonio Pierce. Carolina, the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta, Seattle and Washington are still looking for coaches.
Callahan has 14 years of NFL experience. He has been the Bengals’ offensive coordinator since 2019 and is credited with aiding in the development of quarterback Joe Burrow. He will get the chance now to work with Will Levis, the quarterback Tennessee took at No. 33 overall last April.
The son of former Raiders coach Bill Callahan has been a popular target in head coaching searches. He interviewed with several teams last year before opting to stay in Cincinnati. Callahan also interviewed recently with the Chargers for their coaching vacancy.
Meanwhile, Ertz got his chance to get back onto the field after the Lions backup tight end Brock Wright broke his forearm in Sunday’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ertz, the former three-time Pro Bowler Zach Ertz, a former Stanford star who will initially sign with the team’s practice squad. The news was first reported by the NFL Network.
Ertz reached a mutual agreement to be let out his contract with the Arizona Cardinals in late November, and will reunite with former position coach Steve Heiden in Detroit. Working together last season, the then-32-year-old Ertz tallied 47 receptions for 406 yards and four touchdowns in 10 games.
For his career, the 12-year veteran has caught 709 balls for 7,434 yards and 46 scores. In Super Bowl LII, he had seven grabs for 67 yards and a touchdown in the Philadelphia Eagles championship win over the Patriots.
In Detroit, he’ll provide depth behind LaPorta , the record-setting rookie, and Anthony Firkser, who played 12 offensive snaps in Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay.
Wire services contributed to this report.