Insider says Titans ‘spiraled out of control,’ didn’t want to fire Brian Callahan this soon

We’re not even out of October in the NFL season, and there’s already been significant movement in the coaching ranks. The Tennessee Titans announced Monday that they have fired head coach Brian Callahan.

Callahan was in his second season with the team, but after six games, ownership had seen enough.

The Titans fell to 1-5 following their 20-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6. Tennessee managed just 225 total yards of offense and turned the ball over three times in what became another poor showing for the group.

While it’s somewhat surprising to see a coach dismissed so early, Callahan’s fate may have been sealed after the loss to the Raiders, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

“It’s my understanding that the Titans’ intention as of a couple of weeks ago was to keep Brian Callahan through the end of the season and then make a decision,” Schultz wrote. “They did not want to make an in-season change. But it spiraled out of control — things felt off, there were head-scratching moves, no true direction or improvement — and they made the switch today.”

The Titans rank near the bottom of the league in nearly every major offensive category, including scoring, averaging just 14.6 points per game.

Some of the urgency behind Callahan’s dismissal likely comes from the organization’s desire to protect and develop rookie quarterback Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward has shown flashes of potential, but the team’s lack of structure and consistency has hindered his progress.

Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker addressed the move in a statement released Monday.

“While we are committed to a patient and strategic plan to build a sustainable, winning football program, we have not demonstrated sufficient growth,” Brinker said.

The loss to the Raiders dropped Callahan’s career record to 4-19, with three of those wins coming last season. The Titans’ only victory in 2025 came in Week 5, when the Arizona Cardinals’ turnovers helped Tennessee escape with a narrow win.