The Callahans of Tennessee: Son and Dad Enter New Relationship as Titans Head Coach and Assistant

Brian Callahan says of his Tennessee Titans coaching staff: “I’m gonna lean on these people that I’ve hired to help me.” Perhaps none more so than his dad.

At a press conference Wednesday to introduce the Titans’ offensive and defensive coordinators Nick Holz and Dennard Wilson, Brian Callahan fielded a question about his most well-known assistant coach, his father Bill.

In essence, how is this new dynamic of  son as head coach and dad as assistant working? 

Brian Callahan said, "it's been really normal. He's very understanding of what it means to sit in the chair that I sit in every day. Having done it himself, he knows when advice is welcome. He knows when he should probably leave me alone. I know when I should leave him alone on the flip side."

And there are father-son moments to appreciate.

"He's got this 16-inch clincher, those softballs. HE played growing up and he has one of them in his office. He came in here (Brian's office), probably about 9 o'clock, and we were kind of finishing some stuff up. And I'm sitting there throwing a softball back and forth as we're talking about some different ideas for something.

"So just to have that experience has been really cool and he just wants to be able to help me and to help this organization win, and that's been really fun. It's been a really cool experience for me so far."

Additionally, Bill Callahan brings 40-plus year of coaching know-how to the Titans staff.

"He's been a head coach in college (Nebraska) and the NFL (Oakland Raiders). He's called plays in the NFL. He's been, arguably, in my opinion, the best offensive line coach in football for a long time. ... He's probably forgotten more football than I know,” Brian Callahan said.

Hiring his father was a complicated process, Brian Callahan said, because Bill was under contract with the Cleveland Browns.

"It was a process that we had to work through with the Browns organization and, thankfully, they were really — kind is the wrong word. This isn't a kind business. But they were aware enough to know the uniqueness of the situation. So appreciative of that perspective from them and allowing it to happen.

"It's not something I ever thought I would work, truthfully. So, to be here with him is a really, really awesome moment for me, both as a son and as a professional."