Nashville — It appears like the Tennessee Titans have found their man. According to reports, the Tennessee Titans’ next coach will be Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.
Callahan, 39, has served as the Bengals’ offensive coordinator for the previous five years, collaborating closely with All-Pro quarterback Joe Burrow to help the team reach the Super Bowl. Previously, he worked with quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Rich Gannon, and Derek Carr.
Callahan replaces Mike Vrabel, who was sacked after a second consecutive losing season. The Titans finished 6-11 this season and 7-10 in 2022, including a season-ending seven-game losing skid. Vrabel went 6-18 in his final 24 games as Titans head coach.
To learn more about Callahan, we welcomed James Rapien of AllBengals.com to our “Titans Daily Podcast” this morning. He’s been covering the Bengals for years and knows Callahan well. The complete 12-minute podcast is available to watch here.
Here are a few of the highlights.
— about Brian Callahan and the type of coach he is.
“You cited his age as 39, but what strikes out to me is his experience. It’s the reality that he’s coached a ton of outstanding players, including Peyton Manning and Joe Burrow. He’s helped Derek Carr become a franchise quarterback, and he’s assisted Matthew Stafford in Detroit. He grew up around the NFL game. His father, Bill, coached the Raiders. He remembers Jerry Rice, Tim Brown, and Rich Gannon. That’s what you get with Brian: someone who knows the game inside and out.
— on adjusting to succeed.
“He’s patient and an effective teacher. From an offensive sense, I’ve seen him and his staff modify the offense dependent on the personnel. Titans fans seen it a couple years back (during the playoffs). This offensive line was dreadful, with nine sacks in the divisional round, but they still made it to Super Bowl LVI, and I believe Brian Callahan played a significant role in that.
on working with Zac Taylor to run the offense.
“He’s as vital as anyone in that building—outside of Joe Burrow, of course—in getting this offense together, ready, and flowing at a high level on game day. Brian handles the day-to-day offensive chores. Now, Zac calls the plays, but that doesn’t mean Brian isn’t putting together game plans, or that Brian isn’t working with Joe to determine what he loves and dislikes. Brian handled a lot of it, and over the last five years, he’s learned how to do it on a daily basis. He’s as prepared as he could be. I think he’ll be alright. That is the least of your problems when talking about an offensive-minded culture.
on this Titans club being akin to the Bengals five years ago, and dealing with a young quarterback like Will Levis.
“Joe arrived during 2020, the COVID year, so they didn’t get to work with him until training camp, which was unusual. There was no preseason. Sometimes coaches overthink things, but these guys put their players in position to succeed. They went back and reviewed LSU tape to determine what Joe felt most comfortable with. They will do the same for Will Levis. I bet they’ll look at Kentucky tape as well as this year’s tape.
focus on running the ball while also having an exciting passing game.
“They will toss it, but they will also want to run with it. I have Tyjae Spears in a (fantasy) keeper league, which makes me happy.
— about Brian Callahan’s character.
“He’s someone who will be honest with you. He’s quite open about everything, even when things go wrong. I’ve never heard anything except positive things about him. He is an excellent offensive coordinator, and the Bengals will miss him greatly. I think Titans fans will particularly love Brian Callahan.
Related: Will Brian Callahan hire Bill Callahan as part of his Titans staff?
The offensive line is the first issue that the Tennessee Titans must address. Brian Callahan, the Titans’ new coach, happens to have a father who is widely regarded as one of the league’s top offensive line coaches. Brian has previously expressed an interest in coaching with his father. Mary Kay Cabot, who has covered the Cleveland Browns for many years at Cleveland.com, believes the Browns should be prepared to lose Bill to the Titans. Mo Egger, who covers the Cincinnati Bengals, told Ramon, Kayla, and Will this morning that he expects Bill to join Brian in Tennessee.
Bill is still under contract with Cleveland. The Browns do not have to just release him out of his contract. I’d be astonished if they weren’t willing to do it, but they’re not required to. The Browns cannot deny the Titans’ request to interview Bill if the job they are interviewing him for fits the qualifications outlined here by Albert Breer, but I believe the Browns will allow Bill to coach alongside his son.
I would be amazed if Bill Callahan is not revealed as a member of the staff within a week.
