Why Brian Callahan is the perfect hire for the Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have their man. On Monday, it was announced that the team was close to a deal with Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan. Callahan replaces Mike Vrabel, who was fired after back-to-back losing seasons.
I absolutely love this move for the Titans. Callahan is a young offensive mind who has never been a head coach. The coach was a key part of the Joe Burrow-led Bengals’ teams that boasted high-powered, exciting offenses. In 2023, the Bengals passed the ball 63.5% of the time, which was the second-highest mark in the league. For fans who want a modern offense, Callahan will bring exactly that.
Some are worried about Callahan never calling plays before. However, I would like to instruct those people to look at Mike McDaniel in Miami. McDaniel also never called plays before getting the job, and his offense was just fine in South Beach. Callahan also grew up around football, with his father being the legendary Bill Callahan. The elder Callahan is widely considered one of the best offensive line coaches in the league, and I believe he will follow his son to Nashville.
I fully expect Brian to lean on his father and use his connections to build a competent staff. I also expect Brian to call plays and likely hire a young offensive coordinator who’s fine taking a backseat initially.
Bottom Line
If you are tired of the run, run, pass offense the Titans have sported in recent years, you should be thrilled. It’s safe to say the “exotic smashmouth,” ground-and-pound offense is a thing of the past, as it should be. I expect Callahan to lean into analytics while also hiring an experienced staff. A young, offensive-minded coach should do wonders for the development of Will Levis, which should be the team’s top priority. For the first time in a long time, a philosophy change is taking place in Nashville.