In somewhat of a shocker, the Tennessee Titans just fired head coach Brian Callahan today. This decision was made only six games into the 2025 season. Callahan was brought on in January 2024 to open up the offense, get the franchise back on its feet and into contention. Unfortunately, his first year ended in disappointment with a 3-14 record. The Titans, currently sitting at a 1-5 record, are projected to select second overall in the upcoming NFL Draft, raising questions about the future of their young quarterback Cam Ward.
Callahan, who served as offensive coordinator in 2018, brought championship winning experience with him to the Titans. He had mentored some of the league’s otherworldly quarterbacks, such as Hall of Famer Peyton Manning and Super Bowl champions Matthew Stafford and Joe Burrow. His hiring signified a clear intention from the Titans’ management to innovate and improve the team’s offensive strategy. His lack of capacity to turn that vision into impact had the organization looking for another path.
The Impact on Cam Ward
The Titans traded up to select Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the latest draft. Now, the rookie quarterback has sky-high expectations. Unfortunately, Ward has suffered a cruel fate trying to make his mark in the league. He has only hit on 55% of his attempts, passing for 1,101 yards with three TDs and four INTs on the year. The Titans had invested a lot in their offensive line over the past few drafts. Unfortunately, it has fallen short on providing sufficient protection, a point that complicates Ward’s development.
Ward signaled from the beginning that he was seeking organizational stability. He was just emphasizing the fact that all great quarterbacks almost always do their best work in stable environments. He stated, “You see it with the best quarterbacks out there. I think a lot of guys who have stability in the NFL can succeed long term. That’s what we need in Tennessee. We haven’t had that in a very long time.”
Ward is learning like the rest too—in truth this is his first year as a full-time starter, but the offensive structure remains a work-in-progress. The unexpected firing of Callahan puts a cloud over how this move will affect Ward’s development. The Titans now find themselves at a pivotal inflection point. They’ll have to choose between re-signing Ward as their franchise quarterback, or moving in an entirely different direction.
Ongoing Struggles and Management Decisions
The Titans’ struggles are not solely attributed to Callahan’s coaching. Since the start of the 2023 season, the organization has gone through historic tumult up top. They’ve already burned through two head coaches and two general managers in only four years. This unpredictability has led to an abysmal 4-19 record since Callahan took the reins.
Even so, after the dismissal of Callahan, team sources shared that “the writing was on the wall” about Callahan’s future. This seeming stalemate on the playing field, compounded by years of infighting and frustration behind-the-scenes, resulted in this fateful move. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons echoed concerns about the team’s performance during practice, calling it “probably one of our worst weeks of practice.” These sentiments point to a deeper unhappiness in the organization that likely ended up dooming Callahan in the long run.
Chad Brinker and Mike Borgonzi, the current leadership duo, have made their intent to build through the draft pretty clear. They know that assembling a great team is a process that requires patience and time. Unfortunately, those very qualities have been lost with the ever revolving door of coaches and upper management.
Looking Ahead
As the Titans regroup to figure out their next move after Callahan’s departure, they are still set up well to continue to flip the roster. With a projected No. 2 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, there is speculation that they may look to secure additional talent or potentially even consider trading for established players to bolster their roster.
Organizational chaos development continues as the future of Cam Ward is clouded over, but he has still been developing largely despite it. His performance will go a long way in determining how the Titans proceed long-term. It will decide whether they lose confidence in him as the team’s long-term starting quarterback.
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