Tennessee Titans head coach Mike McCoy Johnnie Izquierdo/GettyImages

Titans' Mike McCoy Not Satisfied With First Win

Originally posted on Tennessee Titans on SI
By Lane Mills | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Tennessee Titans, after parting ways with former head coach Brian Callahan after week 6, have finally secured their first win in the limbo-like era following that firing. Under interim option Mike McCoy, Tennessee has struggled to find a new identity in the wake of the previous regime's misaligned vision being exposed by way of Callahan's failure to produce.

In a high-scoring 31-29 victory over the Cleveland Browns, McCoy and rookie quarterback Cam Ward led the Titans to a victory that truly felt like their own, as opposed to their week 5 win, predicated on an outlandish mistake from the Arizona Cardinals.

Going 1-0 Every Week

"There's nothing like winning," McCoy said, after having taken over for the team and, since then, remaining without a victory to call his own. "That's what it's all about, and that's your goal every single week, to go 1-0 and give the players credit. They had an outstanding week of practice, and just their work ethic and all their hard work, even through the difficult times."

McCoy and the Titans' goal to go "1-0" every week has frustrated fans time and time again as a mindset set against long-term improvement. Yet now, suddenly, it seems to have finally started to pay off as the season ironically comes to a close.

.@Titans interim HC Mike McCoy: There's nothing like winning, that's what it is all about. Give the players credit. You always want to build a winning culture, and finding ways to win is how you do it
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) December 8, 2025

"This is big because you always want to build a winning culture," McCoy continued, "and you've got to find a way to win the games to get that going, and now the challenge is to come out here and start stacking wins together. "

Sacrificing the Future for Wins Now

In the face of the Titans still being in the race for the top overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (though now not favored), McCoy seems entirely focused on winning what are essentially useless games right now.

For pride's sake and pride's sake alone, the Titans' temporary option in the driver's seat is chasing victories.

"But it's just big for everybody, big for the young players for them to really understand, it doesn't matter how you win, you just got to find a way to win, and the game's never over, so you just got to keep playing, it's a great example. Just keep fighting, keep fighting, and win the game."

Though 2-11, the Titans' current momentum is at a season-high. Draft conversations aside, fans can breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that the current roster is packed with talent that can continue to win under whoever is hired to replace McCoy in the long run.

This article first appeared on Tennessee Titans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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