The New York Giants filled two vacancies on their coaching staff with former members of the Tennessee Titans.
Shane Bowen, who was Tennessee’s defensive coordinator for the past three seasons, will take over the same position with the Giants.
Tim Kelly, meanwhile, was announced earlier as the team’s new tight ends coach after serving as the Titans’ offensive coordinator in 2023.
Bowen just completed his sixth season with the Titans, eighth overall in the NFL.
Tennessee promoted him to defensive coordinator in 2021 after he spent his first three seasons as outside linebacker’s coach.
In 2023, Bowen boasted the No. 1 defense in red zone scoring (allowed touchdowns on 37.7 percent of drives inside the 20), goal-to-go scoring (42.9 percent resulting in touchdowns), and third-down conversation rate in the red zone (23.4).
In addition, Tennessee ranked second in inside the 30 touchdown efficiency (34.7 percent) and opponent third-and-short conversions (50.0 percent).
From 2021 to 2023, the Titans surrendered the fewest rushing yards in the NFL (89.7 yards per game) and a league-low 3.70 rushing yards per carry.
They allowed 33 rushing touchdowns in that span; only the Ravens and Patriots gave up fewer with 30 apiece.
Overall, the Titans allowed 106 touchdowns from scrimmage in Bowen’s three seasons as defensive coordinator, the seventh fewest in the NFL.
From 2021 through 2022, opponents averaged a league-low 80.7 rushing yards per game (2,745 total) against the Titans.
In that span, Bowen’s defense allowed a total of two individual 100-yard rushers—one in each season.
In 2022, the Titans led the NFL in rushing defense for the first time since 2003, surrendering a league-low average of 76.9 yards per contest (1,307 total) for the second-best finish in franchise history (73.4 in 1960).
The Titans also ranked third in third-down defense in 2022, allowing a conversion rate of 34.2 percent (77 of 225).
The 28 total starters used on defense was the second-highest total in the NFL, and the 40 total players used on defense led the league.
In 2021, Bowen’s first season as defensive coordinator, the Titans ranked second in the NFL in rushing defense (84.6).
Only one individual rusher all season accumulated more than 70 rushing yards in a game against the Titans.
Meanwhile, outside linebacker Harold Landry III (12 sacks) and defensive linemen Denico Autry (nine sacks) and Jeffery Simmons (8.5) made up the NFL’s only trio with at least eight sacks each.
In the divisional playoffs, the Titans set a new franchise postseason record and matched the NFL postseason record with nine sacks against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Landry, Simmons, and safety Kevin Byard were all named to the Pro Bowl following the 2021 campaign, with Byard adding first-team All-Pro honors. It was the first of two consecutive Pro Bowl nods for Simmons.
In 2020, Bowen added defensive play-caller to his responsibilities as outside linebacker’s coach.
The Titans defense ranked seventh in the NFL with 23 takeaways, which tied for the most by a Titans defense since 2013 (25).
The Titans also tallied 15 interceptions, which ranked seventh in the NFL and the most by the Titans since 2012 (19).
Bowen joined the Titans after spending two seasons with the Houston Texans as a defensive assistant.
In 2017, despite being beset by key injuries, the Texans ranked fifth in third-down defense and set a franchise record for fewest yards per carry by opponents (3.97).
In 2016, he was part of a coaching staff that produced the NFL’s top-ranked defense (301.3 yards allowed per game) for the first time in franchise history.
The 2016 squad, which also gave up the fewest first downs (17.0) and second-fewest net passing yards (201.6) per game, won the AFC South Division and advanced to the Divisional Playoff Round.
