Titans' Biggest Concern Isn't a Player

2024 marked the first time Brian Callahan had been given the opportunity to be a head coach. The longtime QB coach and offensive guru had been the Cincinnati Bengals OC from 2019-23 before coming over to the Tennessee Titans.

Having been in the NFL since 2010, Callahan knows a thing or two about how teams operate. While he may have won Super Bowl 50 with the Denver Broncos, Callahan faced the harsh reality of being the head coach of a struggling football team.

Rebuilding an NFL team is no joke, especially one that was once as successful as the Titans. Tennessee is no stranger to winning, but recently they've been on a downward spiral that no one can explain. Coming off a three-win season, it's hard to imagine a scenario where the team regresses for its fourth straight season.

Mike Vrabel led this team to the No. 1 seed and a pair of 10+ win seasons in 2020-21. The current New England Patriots HC was fired after a 7-10 and 6-11 campaign in the following years. The team decided to move on despite Vrabel having an overall winning record upon joining in 2018.

Reports surfaced that the Titans nearly moved on from Callahan after his dreadful 3-14 season. Instead, the team is giving him a second chance as they know Cam Ward is going to give them a much greater chance of winning compared to Will Levis.

ESPN's Turron Davenport coined Brian Callahan as the team's biggest concern, "The once highly sought-after coach struggled last season, but he is clawing to find his way. Callahan has to show that he can effectively call plays and outfox opposing coaches."

"That will be difficult with a roster that doesn't have a lot of premier players. The front office is willing to show patience with Callahan because it believes he can get it right. Developing No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward will be the key," Davenport added.

ESPN notes the Titans' strength of schedule, one that is the 4th easiest in the entire league. They are projected 6.7 wins, a projection that doubles their win total from last season. Ultimately, they're given just a 9.3% chance to win the division and a 15.6% chance to make the playoffs.

Davenport wasn't afraid to point out how "highly sought after" Callahan once was. Now, it's time to prove it. The second-year HC is undoubtedly in the hot seat, and a repeat performance of the '24 season will guarantee Ward a new coach heading into 2026. If the Titans have just one or two wins heading into their Week 10 Bye, it's hard to imagine a scenario where Callahan isn't fired during the season.