Will Titans make Brian Callahan decision 'sooner than later?'

After the Tennessee Titans dropped to 0-4 on the season with a 26-0 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, head coach Brian Callahan admitted he understands "how the NFL works" as speculation grows about his job security.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler provided an update on whether Callahan and his staff believe they could soon be shown the door.

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"There is moderate concern among the coaching staff that the front office and ownership might not be as patient as they originally believed, which could lead to change sooner than later," Fowler said about the Titans. "The proverbial 'vibes' simply are not good right now."

Callahan is now 3-18 as Tennessee's head coach. The Titans ended Week 4 ranked last in the NFL with a minus-69 point differential, and Callahan handing play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree last week didn't seem to help much in Week 4.

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"The Titans' bye is Week 10, which feels important," Fowler continued. "But the expectation among some around the league I've talked to is that the temperature is increasing, especially with owner Amy Adams Strunk's willingness to make drastic changes in recent years."

An August report revealed that Strunk considered "completely cleaning house and sending Callahan on his way along with" fired general manager Ran Carthon in January. Strunk instead allowed Callahan to have a significant role in the Titans' selection of quarterback Cam Ward as the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

According to Pro Football Reference, Ward began Wednesday ranked last in the NFL among qualified players with a 19.8 adjusted QBR and 32nd out of 33 quarterbacks with a 63.9 passer rating for the ongoing season. Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns is responsible for the league's worst passer rating (60.3) and has been benched. 

"Cam Ward has serious potential but needs an infusion of pass-catching talent around him," Fowler said about the Titans' opening becoming a desirable job if Callahan is eventually fired. "A few drafts can fix that. The offensive line hasn't come together despite significant investments. But offensive tackle JC Latham (currently injured) and guard Peter Skoronski are players to build on. The defense has held up at times."

Dan Graziano noted in the ESPN article that winning "a couple of games" could buy Callahan some time. As of Wednesday morning, ESPN BET had the Titans as 7.5-point underdogs for their Week 5 game against the 2-2 Cardinals in Arizona.