Tennessee Titans Dismiss Head Coach Brian Callahan After Disappointing NFL Season Start
Nashville, TN — The Tennessee Titans have fired head coach Brian Callahan following a poor start to their 2025 NFL season. The decision came after just six games into Callahan’s second year at the helm, with the Titans holding a disappointing 1-5 record this season.
Callahan, who finished with a cumulative 4-19 record as head coach, was dismissed after the team continued to struggle offensively, despite expectations raised by selecting quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward has started this season as the Titans’ quarterback, but the team has failed to exhibit consistent growth or success on the field.
In a statement, Chad Brinker, president of football operations for the Titans, acknowledged the difficulty in making the decision but emphasized the team’s commitment to establishing a winning culture. “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,” Brinker said. “These decisions are never easy, especially when they involve people of great character. We are grateful for Brian’s investment in the Titans and Tennessee community during his tenure. We thank him and his family for being exemplary ambassadors of the Tennessee Titans.”
Brinker added, “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 currently not meeting, and we are committed to making the hard decisions necessary to reach and maintain that standard.”
Callahan’s firing marks the first NFL coaching change of the 2025 season. The decision also precedes a notable matchup this weekend, as the Titans prepare to host the New England Patriots, led by former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, who replaced Callahan in Nashville in 2023. The timing of the dismissal ensures Callahan will not face his former team in this upcoming game.
Under Callahan’s leadership, the Titans’ performance deteriorated significantly compared to previous seasons. Once a strong contender as the No. 1 seed in the AFC in 2021, the team has since endured a 17-40 record, coupled with multiple changes in head coaching and general management roles, signaling a period of instability and decline.
The Titans organization now faces the challenge of identifying a successor who can navigate the team back to competitive form and restore hope among their fans and community. The owner, Amy Adams Strunk, along with the management, is expected to play a key role in the next steps to rebuild the franchise.
As the Titans seek new leadership, the NFL community watches closely to see how the team will address their struggles and leverage the promising talent on their roster, particularly the development of Cam Ward as the franchise quarterback. The firing of Brian Callahan underscores the high stakes of NFL coaching positions and the demand for immediate results in today’s league.