Rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s blunt assessment of the Tennessee Titans last month shed light on the state of the team.
The Titans made their first major decision to change the trajectory of the franchise Monday when they fired head coach Brian Callahan after less than two seasons.
‘After extended conversations with our owner and general manager, we met with Brian Callahan this morning to tell him we are making a change at head coach,” Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker said in a statement. “While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth. Our players, fans, and community deserve a football team that achieves a standard we are not currently meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.’
Callahan went 4-19 in 23 games as the Titans head coach. One might think parting ways with a head coach after 23 games is premature, but when the No. 1 overall pick and franchise quarterback sounded the alarm after the Week 4 loss, it was only a matter of time before changes would be made in Tennessee.
The Titans are a bad football team. Tennessee has the NFL’s worst total offense (232.3 yards per game), they average the second fewest number of points (13.8) and rank No. 22 in total defense, allowing 343.3 yards per game.
Ward is among a few players on the roster that generate tangible optimism for the future. In Week 5, Ward and the Titans became the first team to overcome a deficit of at least 18 points and win with a rookie starting quarterback since the New York Giants on Sept. 22, 2019. He leads all rookies in passing yards (1,101) and passing yards per game (183).
“Everybody talks about his work ethic, how early he’s there, how late he stays,” franchise legend and Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon told USA TODAY Sports of Ward earlier this season. “He just loves to work. That’s what you want your best player being. You want him to be one of the hardest workers on the team. You want him to be a guy that doesn’t blink. That has tremendous confidence, but he puts in the work to back it up.”
Sure, Ward is experiencing rookie growing pains. He’s completed under 40% of his passes between 10-19 yards and has a 40% success rate on pass attempts beyond 20 yards, per Pro Football Focus. While his 55% overall completion percentage ranks last among starting quarterbacks.
But the Titans haven’t necessarily surrounded Ward with weapons. Does a receiving corps that consist of Calvin Ridley, Elic Ayomanor, Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett strike fear on opponents? Or tight ends Chig Okonkwo and Gunnar Helm?
Tony Pollard is a solid starting running back, but he’s currently averaging 3.9 yards a carry.
The Titans must do a better job of building around Ward. That starts with whomever they hire as head coach.
The positive news is the Titans have enough resources. Tennessee enters the 2026 season with the most salary cap space in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
The Titans made the correct decision in taking Ward No. 1 overall in the 2025 draft. Now they must do right by the quarterback. The development and success of Ward is contingent upon the Titans’ ability to build around him and implementation of an offensive system that caters to his skill set.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.