The Tennessee Titans endured an incredibly difficult season under first-year head coach Brian Callahan in 2024. The Titans finished 3-14, tied for the worst record in the NFL. The tiebreaker earned them the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, which they used on quarterback Cameron Ward.
It was new general manager Mike Borgonzi who made the decision to draft Ward. Though Callahan survived a 3-14 season, the GM who hired him, Ran Carthon, did not. Carthon was replaced by Borgonzi in a decision that was primarily made by president of football operations Chad Brinker, who reports directly to owner Amy Adams Strunk.
The Titans ultimately decided to retain Callahan as the head coach despite his hiring being a Carthon decision. An offensive-minded leader and apparent quarterback guru, he's now being tasked with developing Ward this season. The Titans preached patience this offseason, but a new report by ESPN indicates he was nearly fired before the team drafted Ward.
Report: Titans considered firing HC Brian Callahan after brutal 2024 season
"There was consideration given to completely cleaning house and sending Callahan on his way along with Carthon, multiple Titans sources confirmed," Jeremy Fowler and Turron Davenport collaborated to write. "Callahan and Carthon had a close relationship, and having the No. 1 pick gave Tennessee an opportunity to bring in a new general manager, coach and rookie quarterback at the same time."
Cooler heads ultimately prevailed. The Titans are coming off a string that saw various notable figureheads fired in recent offseasons, including Carthon, Mike Vrabel, and Jon Robinson. Even though Brinker and Borgonzi didn't hire Callahan, they are attempting to bring stability and continuity to a franchise that's sorely lacked that in recent years.
"We wanted to give him that opportunity to grow as a head football coach," Brinker told ESPN. "We felt like another year to grow into that and we're going to need to see that growth. We believe in Brian, and we think he's going to get there. So that's why he was retained."
Callahan must showcase growth throughout 2025. The roster remains in a rebuild, but the head coach is elated with having Ward at his disposal to develop. Callahan is undoubtedly on the hot seat, as Brinker and Borgonzi will revisit their decision to retain his services next offseason. Expectations are low, but he may not survive another 2024-like campaign.