NASHVILLE — Titans coach Brian Callahan has allegedly identified his running back coach. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Titans will hire Randy Jordan as their running backs coach. Jordan joins Callahan’s staff in Nashville following 10 seasons as the Commanders’ running backs coach. He began with Jay Gruden and was kept by Ron Rivera. Callahan hired Jordan after Dan Quinn became the Commanders’ new head coach.
Jordan began his coaching career as an assistant with the Raiders in 2003. He subsequently spent ten years coaching running backs at Nebraska, Texas A&M, and North Carolina before joining Gruden’s Washington staff in 2014. Jordan spent nine seasons in the NFL with the Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars before beginning teaching. Jordan has deep ties to Brian’s father, Bill, who is likely to be the Titans’ offensive line coach. Bill had coached Jordan for the Raiders and hired him at Nebraska while he was head coach.
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Thoughts of Lost Members From the Super Bowl XXXIV Team A Reminder of How Much Has Changed.
Las Vegas – Do the Titans still have a miracle in them after such a remarkable season thus far?
If they do, they need it right now.
Christie kicks high and short. Lorenzo Neal will field it at the 25-yard line and pass it back to Wycheck.
Fervent Titans fans remember every word of Mike Keith’s broadcast of the Music City Miracle on January 8, 2000, which marked the beginning of the Tennessee Titans’ remarkable playoff run.
The unlikely victory over the Bills sent the Titans to Super Bowl XXXIV, probably the most important day in franchise history.
Nearly twenty-five years later, the anguish of falling one yard short of forcing OT against the St. Louis Rams is still felt by many Titans and their fans.
But there’s something even more heartbreaking to consider: a rising number of the heroes from that unforgettable season are no longer with us, including Frank Wycheck, whose cross-field lateral to Kevin Dyson set the play – and the postseason run – into motion.
Leading up to this weekend’s Super Bowl, members of the 1999 team say the absence of their teammates and friends is a sobering notion, and it serves as another reminder to live each day to the fullest.
“It’s surreal to think about it,” said Neal, the team’s fullback. “I recall seeing Kung Fu Panda with my kids, and there was a sentence in it that said, ‘Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, so embrace it.’ And that is really appropriate because when you think of Frank, Steve (McNair), any of our teammates from that team, or life in general, you never know.
“All the fallen players from that team, and you see how young they were, are no longer with us. It’s sad. You look at it and are grateful that you are okay, but yet sad since things have changed for all of us. We’ve been troubled and afflicted, young men. I think about things differently now. I believe that as you become older, you begin to appreciate life more deeply. You simply have to appreciate every moment you have.
Neal, 53, is covering Super Bowl LVIII for 95.7 The Game and CSN TV in the Bay Area. Neal is also a motivational speaker, and he recently delivered a speech on the significance of teamwork. He cited the Music City Miracle as an example of a squad that banded together when all hope appeared to be lost.
The Titans’ storybook season ended 24 years ago with Kevin Dyson being tackled at the one-yard line on the final play of the game.
However, Neal no longer considers this to be the end.
“Now, when I watch replays, and highlights of that game, I think about all the guys that are no longer with us,” said Neal. “You see them (on replays) and it’s like, Oh my God, some of my guys, they’re really not here any more, and it’s heartbreaking.”
Wycheck died in December, making him the last member of the 1999 team to pass away.
He joined a group of guys who left an indelible mark on the franchise before their tragic demise.
-The Titans’ favorite quarterback, Steve McNair, died in 2009 at the age of 36. McNair was the team’s heart and soul, and his courage and commitment were on full show during Super Bowl XXXIV’s last drive.
-Josh Evans, a defensive lineman, died in 2021 at the age of 48 from cancer. Evans had a large personality and a simple smile. He struggled a lot to achieve success at the top level, yet he appeared to relish every minute.
-Running back. Rodney Thomas was 41 years old when he died of a heart attack in 2014. Thomas was an effective third-down back who shown leadership on and off the field, as well as a strong work ethic.
Wycheck was only 52 when he was discovered dead. According to the family’s statement, Wycheck appears to have fallen inside his Chattanooga home and injured his head. He was found unresponsive.
Wycheck is recognized not only for his outstanding on-field performance, but also for his genial demeanor, which made him always approachable. The sight of Wycheck on a knee, watching confetti descend from the sky at the Georgia Dome at the end of Super Bowl XXXIV, left an indelible effect on all.
“Just trying to take all that in,” Wycheck once remarked of the incident, “to use that as motivation to work hard and try to get back.”
Former Titans’ tackle Brad Hopkins, 53, said the Titans had the time of their lives back then.
He said he regularly thinks about his playing days and teammates, while also appreciating how quickly time has passed and how much has changed.
“When you think about the younger iteration of yourself, and all of the things you thought were going to happen with your life, 25 years later, life and the way you see it is completely different,” Hopkins told me.
“You don’t want to start burying pals in your mid-50s or earlier, but that’s the reality. Whether it is disease or simply life itself, when you look back and reflect, you can never fathom losing teammates or people who have been important in your life, especially so quickly. It’s bizarre to think about.
“When we were all teammates, many of us in our twenties, we believed we were invincible. Sickness and gunfire will not affect us; we play in the NFL for God’s sake,” Hopkins added. “But that is not true. And that is why I advise all of the little kids who are playing today to cherish it, man. Enjoy it all. Nothing remains the same for you since your life will change.
Titans running back Eddie George said his memories of those teammates and that moment in his life help him cope with the hard truth.
Other key participants of that historic 1999 season are no longer with us:
-The owner, K.S. “Bud” Adams, passed away in 2013.
-General Manager Floyd Reese, who helped build the Titans squad, died in 2021.
-The team’s Director of Player Personnel, Rich Snead, also died in 2021.
Bob Hyde, a longtime Titans executive, died last year.
“We want to be able to get together without having to come together for the death of somebody – that’s the tough part,” he remarked. “When you reflect back to that team, you see how many of its members have left. I know (late OC) Mike Heimerdinger wasn’t on the Super Bowl team, but he’s another person who is no longer with us, gone too soon, and it’s difficult to think about.
“It teaches you how fleeting life is and how important it is to enjoy each moment, no matter whether you win or lose. Nothing is more sacrosanct in athletics than the locker room, where lifelong bonds are formed. I know I appreciated all of those guys for who they were, their enthusiasm, and the impact they had on others around them. I know they all gave worth to my life, and I hope I did the same for them.
Dyson, who participated in Super Bowl XXXVIII as a member of the Carolina Panthers, said he recently saw many of his former Titans teammates at a memorial in Nashville for Wycheck, who died in December.
Dyson said it made him reflect on how valuable time is.
“I am 48, Frank was (52), Rodney was in his 40s, Josh was (48), too,” Dyson went on to say. “Of course, Floyd was a little older, but he left too quickly. I know we’re not as youthful as we were when we were teammates and together, but we’re still rather young.”
In addition to Super Bowl players, the Titans have seen a number of other former players die too young:
-Kicker Rob Bironas (2005-2013) died on September 20, 2014, in a car accident at the age of 36.
Todd Williams, an offensive lineman from 2003 to 2005, died on January 6, 2014, at the age of 35. He was discovered at his mother’s home after complaining of abdominal discomfort months before his death.
-Linebacker Frank Chamberlin (2000-02) died of brain cancer on November 17, 2013, at the age of 35.
-Jesse Mahelona (2006-07), a defensive lineman, was killed in a car accident on September 5, 2009. He was 26.
-Running back. Damien Nash (2005) died of sudden heart arrest on February 24, 2007, at the age of 24, after participating in a celebrity basketball game.
-Receiver O.J. Murdock (2011) committed suicide on July 30, 2012, at the age of 25.
-On July 18, 2019, guard Mitch Petrus (2012) died of a heat-related sickness at the age of 32.
-Mario Branch, an offensive lineman from 2003 to 2004, died of congestive heart failure on April 8, 2011, at the age of 31.
Devon Wylie (2013) died away on November 23, 2023, at the age of 35.
Dyson stated that when he spoke with his teammates at Wycheck’s memorial, he took sure to steer the conversation away from football.
Dyson stated that he advised teammates to have their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels evaluated due to diabetes. Dyson advised them to see a doctor for a sleep apnea testing.
“Life is too short,” he said.
“I did some research, and discovered the average life expectancy of a professional football player is 56 years old,” Dyson told the BBC. “That’s quite incredible when you think about it, and it’s a terrifying concept. When it comes to your health, there are plenty of silent killers.
“I was repeating this a lot the week Frank died: I know everyone says, ‘I’ll call out tomorrow. Oh, I’ll reach out tomorrow.” So, before you realize it, you’re out of tomorrows. And that’s why it’s necessary to reflect on and honor some of the players who are no longer with us, as there were far too many from that (Super Bowl) team. I believe it is critical to remember the times they had and the moments we had, because before we realize it, we will all be out of tomorrows.
