Nashville – The Tennessee Titans hired ten new coaches and retained eleven others as head coach Brian Callahan assembled his first coaching staff.
Those joining the crew bring decades of NFL experience.
The new offensive assistant coaches are Bill Callahan (offensive line), Tyke Tolbert (wide receivers), Randy Jordan (running backs), Bo Hardegree (quarterbacks), and Payton McCollum (assistant wide receivers). The new defensive coaches are Frank Bush (linebackers), Steve Jackson (secondary/safeties), Tracy Rocker (defensive line), and Ben Bloom (outside linebackers). Tom Jones joins the staff as Assistant Head Coach.
Chris Harris, Passing Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks; Justin Outten, Tight Ends; Anthony Levine Sr., Assistant Special Teams; Clinton McMillan, Assistant Defensive Line/Pass Rush Specialist; Lori Locust, Defensive Quality Control; Kylan Butler, Offensive Assistant; Matt Jones, Offensive Assistant; Luke Stocker, Offensive Assistant; and Brian Bell, Ty
Several coaching positions remain open, including Special Teams Coordinator. Dennard Wilson was already announced as Defensive Coordinator, and Nick Holz as Offensive Coordinator.
Bill Callahan, Offensive Line
Bill Callahan has 46 years of coaching experience, with 25 in the NFL and six as head coach (two at Oakland and four at the University of Nebraska). He coached the offensive line for 22 seasons in the NFL and served as offensive coordinator for seven of them. He has guided 14 offensive linemen to 35 Pro Bowl berths.
Callahan joins the Titans following four seasons (2020-23), as the Cleveland Browns’ Offensive Line coach. During his tenure with the Browns, the team made the playoffs twice, and in 2022, it had the third-highest running total (2,490) in franchise history. In 2021, the Browns topped the NFL in running average (5.09), the highest by a Browns club since 1966.
Callahan was the Offensive Line Coach at Washington for five seasons (2015-19) before becoming Assistant Head Coach for the final three. The 2016 offense established single-season team marks in yards per game (403.4), yards per play (6.40), net passing yards (4,758), and passing first downs (226). He was Dallas’ Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line coach for three seasons (2012-14), when he oversaw DeMarco Murray’s 1,845 running yards season in 2014, which led the NFL and established a franchise rushing record. Callahan served as the New York Jets’ Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line Coach for four years (2008-11).
Callahan was the University of Nebraska’s Head Coach for four seasons (2004-07), leading the Cornhuskers to the Big 12 Conference Championship game in 2006.
He served six seasons with the Oakland Raiders (1998-03), the last two as Head Coach. The Raiders’ offense in 2002 was spearheaded by NFL MVP Rich Gannon, who set a team record for total offense with 6,237 yards. They lead the NFL in passing yards (4,689) on their way to the AFC Championship and Super Bowl. His first NFL coaching experience came as the Offensive Line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1995 to 1997.
Callahan has 15 years of collegiate coaching experience and two years in high school.
Tyke Tolbert, Wide Receivers
Tyke Tolbert joins the Titans with 21 years of NFL wide receiver coaching expertise. Throughout his career, he has worked with a talented set of receivers, including D.J. Moore, Odell Beckham Jr., Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Lee Evans, and Anquan Bolden.
He joins the Titans after spending two seasons (2022-23) with Chicago. Last year, D.J. Moore finished sixth in the NFL in receiving yards (1,364) and set career highs in all categories, including receiving yards, catches (96), and touchdowns (8).
Tolbert spent four years (2018-21) with the New York Giants, working with a productive trio of receivers in Beckham, Sterling Shepherd, and Darius Slayton. Beckham had a 1,000-yard season (2018) in their one season together, and Shepherd and Slayton had career highs during this time.
Tolbert formerly served as Wide Receiver coach for the Denver Broncos from 2011 to 2017, during which time the team won five consecutive division titles and Super Bowl 50. He also had an important role in the rise of Thomas and Sanders as one of the most productive duos at the time. Thomas, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, had five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2012-16), while Sanders had three 1,000-yard seasons (2014-16) and was selected to two Pro Bowls under Tolbert’s leadership. In 2014, the combination accumulated 3,023 receiving yards and 212 receptions, the most by an NFL tandem in history.
Before spending one season (2010) at Carolina, Tolbert spent six years (2004-09) as Buffalo’s Wide Receivers coach. During his stint with the Bills, he collaborated with Evans, who led all NFL rookies with nine touchdown receptions and a 17.6-yard average, and they combined for two 1,000-yard seasons. During a season with Arizona (2003), he led Boldin to Offensive Rookie of the Year accolades and a then-NFL rookie record of 101 receptions for 1,377 yards.
Tolbert also has ten years of college coaching experience.
Randy Jordan – Running Backs
Randy Jordan has been named the Running Backs coach after spending the previous ten seasons (2014-23) with the Washington Commanders. Jordan, a former running back, played nine seasons in the league, appearing in 122 games for the Jaguars and Raiders.
He began coaching the Commanders’ running backs in 2014 and was promoted to Senior Offensive Assistant in 2023. Jordan helped running back Brian Robinson Jr. improve over the last two seasons, and he will have more than 1,000 scrimmage yards (1,101) by 2023. Jordan has also worked with Antonio Gibson since he joined the league in 2020. Gibson had 1,037 running yards in 2021, placing him second in the NFC.
Prior to joining Washington, Jordan spent two seasons (2012-13) at his alma mater, North Carolina, where he was the Running Backs coach in 2012 and Special Teams Coordinator in 2013. Running back Giovani Bernard topped the ACC in rushing yards (1,228) during his first season at UNC in 2012. Jordan was a member of an offensive staff that set over 35 school records, including total points per game and overall offense.
Jordan held the same position at Texas A&M for four seasons (2008-11) prior to joining the Tar Heels. He was appointed Running Backs Coach at the University of Nebraska in 2004, where he remained for four years (2004-07). Jordan began his coaching career with the Raiders as a Special Teams Assistant midway through the 2003 season.
Jordan won the NFL Unsung Hero Award and the Ed Block Courage Award in 2001 after recovering from a season-ending injury the previous year. Jordan was the special teams captain for the 2002 Oakland Raiders, who advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII.
Bo Hardegree, Quarterbacks
Bo Hardegree has been named Quarterbacks Coach after spending the last two seasons (2022-23) with the Las Vegas Raiders. Hardegree, a University of Tennessee graduate, has 16 years of coaching experience to the position, including the last ten seasons in the NFL.
Hardegree joined the Raiders as a quarterbacks coach in 2022 and was promoted to Interim Offensive Coordinator for the 2023 season. Aidan O’Connell, a fourth-round rookie, threw for 1,905 yards and 11 touchdowns while serving as Offensive Coordinator. He also had the third-best passer rating (83.9) among 2023 rookies. Hardegree coached Derek Carr to his fourth career Pro Bowl in 2022, completing 305 of 502 passes for 3,522 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Prior to joining the Raiders, he spent one season as the New England Patriots’ quarterbacks coach, when he played an important part in the development of rookie Mac Jones. Jones led all rookie quarterbacks with 3,801 passing yards and 22 touchdowns while under Hardegree’s coaching. His 67.6 completion percentage was the second highest for a rookie quarterback in league history. The Patriots won ten games and advanced to the playoffs, and Jones made his first Pro Bowl appearance.
Before joining the Patriots, Hardegree worked as an Offensive Assistant for the New York Jets from 2019 to 2020. Prior to joining the Jets, he was the Miami Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach for three seasons (2016-2018). During his tenure, Hardegree worked with various quarterbacks, including Jay Cutler, Matt Moore, Brock Osweiler, and Ryan Tannehill.
Prior to joining the Dolphins, Hardegree worked as an offensive assistant in Chicago for one season (2015). He began his NFL coaching career in 2014 as an Offensive Quality Control coach for the Denver Broncos, while current Titans Head Coach Brian Callahan was an Offensive Assistant that same season.
Hardegree began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Duke (2008-10), then moved on to Louisiana State, where he was a defensive coaching intern in 2011 and an offensive coaching intern for two years (2012-13). During his career at LSU, the Tigers won the SEC in 2011 and advanced to the BCS National Championship game in 2012.
Hardegree played quarterback for the University of Tennessee, where he helped the team win two SEC Eastern Division championships in 2004 and 2007.
Payton McCollum, Assistant Wide Receivers
Payton McCollum was named Assistant Wide Receivers Coach after serving as a Defensive Assistant for the Indianapolis Colts last season. McCollum has nine years of coaching experience, including three in the NFL.
Prior to joining the Colts, McCollum worked as an Offensive Analyst at Eastern Michigan in 2022. McCollum was a member of an offensive staff that helped the Eagles end the season as the conference’s second-most effective unit, completing 244 of 391 pass attempts for a 138.2 efficiency rating. EMU also secured its first bowl victory since 1987.
McCollum served as the quarterbacks coach at the University of Washington for two seasons (2020-21). In 2020, he worked with rookie quarterback Dylan Morris, who was named honorable mention All-Pac-12 by the coaches after guiding the Huskies’ offense to an average of 3.36 points per drive (10th nationally, first in the Pac-12) and the Pac-12 North Division title.
In 2019, McCollum was the Wide Receivers Coach at North Carolina Central University, where five different receivers had 20 or more receptions. McCollum spent one season (2018) as an Analyst at the University of North Carolina before joining North Carolina Central.
McCollum began his coaching career in the NFL as an Offensive Coaching Assistant for the Detroit Lions from 2016 to 2017. He worked largely with wide receivers. The Lions saw five players each record 50-plus receptions in 2016, the first time in franchise history and only the fifth time in NFL history, as the Lions won a playoff spot that season. In 2017, the receiver group was the only one in the NFL with two 1,000-yard receivers (Marvin Jones Jr., 1,101, and Golden Tate, 1,003).
Prior to joining Detroit, McCollum was an Offensive Quality Control coach at Campbell University in 2015. McCollum began coaching as a volunteer assistant at Mount Tabor (North Carolina) High School in 2013.
Frank Bush, Linebackers
Frank Bush has been named linebacker coach. Bush, a 32-year NFL coaching veteran and former Houston Oilers draft pick, returns to the organization after coaching the Atlanta Falcons’ linebackers for the previous three seasons (2021-23).
Bush worked as Assistant Head Coach Defense/Linebackers for the New York Jets for two seasons (2019-20) before joining Atlanta’s staff. He was promoted to Defensive Coordinator for the final four games of the 2020 season. Bush spent two seasons with the Miami Dolphins as Assistant Head Coach/Linebackers Coach from 2017 to 2018, and four seasons with the Rams as Linebackers Coach (2013-16).
Bush rejoined the Titans’ coaching staff as Linebackers Coach in 2011-12. Prior to his time in Tennessee, he spent four seasons with the Houston Texans (2007-10), the first two as a Senior Defensive Assistant, particularly working on the defensive line, before becoming the team’s Defensive Coordinator (2009-10). During his time in Houston, he witnessed the rise of defensive end Mario Williams and linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing to Pro Bowl status, with Cushing winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2009.
Bush spent three seasons (2004-06) as the Arizona Cardinals’ linebackers coach before joining the Texans, where he was promoted to Assistant Head Coach in 2006.
Bush earned two Super Bowl rings (XXXII and XXXIII) while coaching the Denver Broncos from 1995 to 2003, serving in a variety of jobs such as Special Teams coach (2001-03), Secondary/Nickel coach (2000), and Linebackers coach (1995-1999).
Following his on-field playing career with the Oilers (1985-86), the North Carolina State product worked as a college scout for five seasons (1987-91) before joining the coaching staff, first as the team’s Linebackers coach (1992) and then as the Defensive Quality Control/Linebackers coach (1993-94).
Steve Jackson: Secondary/Safeties
Steve Jackson has been named Secondary/Safties coach after spending the previous two seasons (2022-23) with the Atlanta Falcons. Jackson, a former Houston Oilers draft pick who played nine seasons for the team, is starting his 21st season as an NFL coach.
He joined the Falcons in 2022 as a Senior Offensive Assistant before moving on to teach the secondary last season. Jackson joined Atlanta after serving as the Cincinnati Bengals’ Secondary/Cornerbacks coach from 2020 to 2021. Under Jackson’s leadership, Cincinnati’s defensive backs held opposing quarterbacks to a 74.9 passer rating during their four-game 2021 postseason run, en route to a Super Bowl LVI berth.
Jackson spent two seasons (2018-19) as the New York Jets’ Assistant Defensive Backs Coach before joining the Bengals. Jackson worked as the Titans’ Assistant Secondary Coach for two seasons (2016-17) before moving to New York. In 2017, he assisted safety Kevin Byard record a career-high eight interceptions, which matched for the most in the NFL that year.
Jackson spent one season (2013) as an Assistant Secondary coach with the Detroit Lions, following eight seasons (2004-11) as Safeties coach in Washington, where he also served as Defensive Passing Game Coordinator from 2006-09. The Purdue product began his coaching career as the Buffalo Bills’ Safeties coach from 2001 to 2003.
Ben Bloom – Outside Linebacker
Ben Bloom has been named Outside Linebackers Coach after spending the previous four seasons (2020-23) with the Cleveland Browns. Bloom is beginning his 15th season as an NFL coach.
He returned to the Browns in 2020 as a Senior Defensive Assistant, then was promoted to Run Game Coordinator from 2021 to 2022 before becoming Defensive Line Coach last season. Myles Garrett, the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, was named to the Pro Bowl and Associated Press All-Pro teams all four seasons, with first-team honors in 2020-21 and 2023, and second-team accolades in 2022. Garrett set the Browns franchise single-season sack record of 16 in 2021 and equaled it in 2022.
Bloom joined Cleveland following nine seasons (2011-19) with the Dallas Cowboys. In Dallas, he coached linebackers (2018-19), assistant coach/special projects (2016-17), defensive ends (2015), assistant defensive line/defensive ends (2014), and defensive quality control/assistant linebackers (2011-13).
The Tufts University graduate began his NFL career with the Browns in 2009 as a Team Operations Assistant/Quality Control coach, later becoming a Defensive Quality Control coach in 2010.
Bloom began his coaching career at colleges at Tufts (2005-07) and Harvard (2008).
Tracy Rocker, Defensive Line
Tracy Rocker has been named Defensive Line Coach. Rocker, a 32-year coaching veteran, returns to the team after spending the previous three seasons (2021-23) as the Philadelphia Eagles’ Defensive Line coach.
In 2022, Rocker was a member of the Eagles coaching staff that led the team to Super Bowl LVII. The second-ranked total defense (301.5 yards per game) tied for third in NFL history with 70 sacks. In addition, Philadelphia became the first team to have four different players with double-digit sacks in a single season.
Rocker spent seven seasons coaching the defensive line in college, including stops at South Carolina (2020), Tennessee (2017-19), and Georgia (2014-16), before joining the Philadelphia staff. Throughout his 24-year collegiate coaching career, which included stops at his alma mater Auburn (2009-10), Mississippi (2008), Arkansas (2003-07), Cincinnati (2002), Troy State (1997-2001), and West Alabama (1994-96), Rocker coached numerous NFL Draft picks, including six All-Americans and two national award winners.
Rocker began his NFL coaching career as a defensive line coach for the Titans from 2011 to 2013. Tennessee recorded the league’s tenth-most sacks (39) in 2012, and defensive end Derrick Morgan had a breakout year, earning 59 tackles, 23 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks. In 2011, Rocker led a young group that includes Karl Klug, who led rookie defensive tackles in sacks (7.0, fourth in NFL defensive tackles), and rookie defensive end Jurrell Casey, who had the most tackles (74) of any Titans defensive lineman that year.
Rocker started his coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Auburn High School in 1992-1993. In addition to his full-time coaching experience, he participated in the NFL’s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Program for two summers, working with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2006) and the Indianapolis Colts (2001).
Rocker was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2004. He was a two-time All-American defensive tackle at Auburn and received the Lombardi Award (the nation’s best college football player) and the Outland Trophy (the nation’s best interior lineman) in 1988, becoming the only player in SEC history to receive both honors.
Tom Jones, Assistant to the Head Coach.
ones joins the Titans as the Assistant to the Head Coach, after spending 25 years with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders. His final two seasons with the Raiders were as Vice President of Football Operations/Assistant to the Head Coach. Prior to his promotion, he was the Director of Team Operations. Jones joined the Raiders as an intern in 1996. A Bay Area native, he earned an undergraduate degree from Chico State and a Master’s in sports management from the University of San Francisco.
