One question that must be answered in 2025 for the Tennessee Titans is the long-term viability of Brian Callahan as head coach. During his debut season, the first-time head coach experienced some rough moments, and the team’s overall performance was poor, especially on offense, which was supposed to be his calling card when he was hired.
Recently, he was ranked 24th out of the 25 returning head coaches in the league by Pro Football Network (PFN), and with a new general manager in town, he will undoubtedly have to show improvement to keep his job.
Not all of the problems in 2024 are solely on Callahan; former general manager Ran Carthon dealt him a rough hand, particularly with the offensive line, which held the offense back. Additionally, there is no way Callahan can be blamed for the rash of injuries that decimated the defense.
So, there is some hope heading into 2025, following an offseason marked by numerous changes.
Callahan was also a first-time play-caller in 2024, and the offense struggled. After some discussion during the offseason about making changes, he ultimately decided to maintain that role heading into 2025. Brandon Austin, also of Pro Football Network, ranked all of the play-callers in the NFL, and Callahan didn’t fare much better.
25) Brian Callahan, Tennessee Titans
Brian Callahan’s first season as head coach and play-caller for the Tennessee Titans didn’t do much to offer clarity. To be fair, he had to navigate inconsistent QB play, from Will Levis to Mason Rudolph, so Callahan didn’t have much to work with.
The Titans haven’t ranked better than 26th in Offensive+ in three consecutive seasons. With No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward taking over the reins, Tennessee now has some hope that it can jumpstart a stalled offense.
Ward brings an intriguing package of skills, but there are questions about his supporting cast. Calvin Ridley and Tyler Lockett are both past their prime, and the run game (37.3% rush success rate) offers little relief. It’ll be hard to get a true read on Callahan with this roster.
The Titans’ offense was a mess in 2024, making it difficult to draw any conclusions about their performance. The offensive line was bad, leading Tennessee to undertake a significant overhaul during the offseason. If the line can play better than it did, then areas like protection and the running game should see considerable improvement in 2025.
The quarterback play could also be improved with Cam Ward at the helm, especially with the addition of some young weapons that can grow with him.
Even with the young weapons, Calvin Ridley appears poised for a bounce-back season and has already shown good chemistry with Ward during OTAs and minicamp. Yes, Lockett may be entering the final stages of his career. However, he can still be productive, and his presence in the locker room helping rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor develop may be more important than his performance on the field.
With all of the changes Tennessee made during the offseason, the offense should be trending upward, and Callahan, the play-caller, should be a beneficiary. Things should start to become clear once the Titans kick off training camp on July 22.
This article originally appeared on Titans Wire: Where does Tennessee Titans’ Brian Callahan rank as a play-caller?