The Tennessee Titans made a sizable decision this offseason when they appointed former Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as the new head coach following Mike Vrabel's dismissal. Callahan's hiring was a part of a bigger effort from team owner Amy Adams Strunk to usher in a more forward-thinking era, both on and off the field.
The addition of Callahan has been well received by the media, players, and fanbase. The Titans' new coach (and play-caller) is expected to place more emphasis on the passing game after Tennessee was a run-first team during the Vrabel era. Building around sophomore quarterback Will Levis has been the theme of the offseason.
Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd were signed in free agency to join DeAndre Hopkins in a wide receiver room that now legitimately has three high-level options. First-round pick J.C. Latham, center Lloyd Cushenberry, and right guard Saahdiq Charles have been added to an offensive line that must better protect Levis than it did last season. The pieces are in place for Callahan to field an explosive offense, which is exactly what he helped the Bengals do throughout his tenure as OC.
Defensively, the Titans acquired a superstar cornerback in L'Jarius Sneed. He'll command a new-look secondary that will also have offseason acquisition Chido Awuzie starting on the boundary. With a veteran safety expected to be added before training camp marks its arrival, the Titans could field one of the best secondaries in the league under the watchful eye of new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. From a pass rush perspective, second-round defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat was added to a nucleus that already had Jeffery Simmons, Harold Landry III, and Arden Key.
All of these positive changes could make Callahan a strong candidate to win NFL Coach of the Year honors in 2024. DraftKings recently released their updated odds for the award, and Callahan is considered a top-half-of-the-league-option at +2000 odds. Only 11 coaches have better odds, with Matt Eberflus (+900) and Jim Harbaugh (+900) leading the way. AFC South coaches Shane Steichen (+1600) and DeMeco Ryans (+1100) are also slotted ahead of Tennessee's new leader.
The AFC South is expected to be competitive and unpredictable in 2024. Levis, Trevor Lawrence, Anthony Richardson, and C.J. Stroud are among the youngest, most ascending quarterbacks in the league. If the Titans manage to win the AFC South, Callahan would almost be a shoo-in for NFL Coach of the Year honors.