The conditions of Brian Callahan’s deal to become the team’s next coach were formally agreed upon by the Titans and him on Wednesday.
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“We’re thrilled to have Brian as our head coach, and this is an exciting time for our franchise,” Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk said. “After a careful selection process, Brian was the clear choice to take the helm of our football squad. I would want to express my gratitude to the other candidates that participated in this process and wish them continued success.
“Brian has a history of accomplishment and a wide range of experiences that have equipped him for this chance. Beyond that, we believe his leadership qualities will make him the perfect addition to our team. His passion for the game and his understanding of football really shine through.
“Brian has experience playing for two teams that have made it to the Super Bowl: Denver (2015), the club that won the Super Bowl in 2015, and Cincinnati (2021). He’s worked with elite quarterbacks in a range of explosive offenses. He has demonstrated the adaptability and intelligence to have an influence at every stage of his career.
“He was given a lot of responsibility while he was with the Bengals, including offensive design, quarterback development, and helping with the free agency and draft procedures. He proved to be a valuable asset in each of those areas. Brian has firsthand experience of what it takes to achieve consistent success and win a championship, therefore he is the ideal leader to guide us in that direction.
“To our supporters, we appreciate your help and persistence. We’re going to get you a championship team because you deserve it. I’m very excited for you to meet Brian and his family.
After conducting a video interview with the squad on January 12, Callahan spoke with them in person on Monday at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park.
After parting ways with Mike Vrabel earlier this month, the Titans interviewed 10 candidates overall for the position. Callahan was one of three candidates who had in-person interviews with the team, and one of two who had a second interview.
Callahan returned to Cincinnati after interviewing for many head coaching positions during the previous winter. He was a well-liked target in the head
However, the Titans in Tennessee proved to be the perfect fit.
Callahan, who recently concluded his 14th season in the National Football League, has been the Bengals’ offensive coordinator since 2019. Callahan has been a coach for eighteen years total.
He played a crucial role in the development of quarterback Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.
In 2010, Callahan joined the Broncos as a coaching assistant. In 2011, he was elevated to offensive quality control coach, and in 2013, he was made an offensive assistant. Callahan was a member of the Broncos’ winning team and an NFL MVP during the time he spent working with quarterback Peyton Manning.
During his tenure as the Lions’ quarterbacks coach from 2016 to 2017, Callahan assisted Matthew Stafford in becoming one of the most effective quarterbacks in the NFL. Working with Stafford, Callahan recorded a then-career-best 99.3 passer rating in 2017 and helped the veteran rank fourth in throwing touchdowns (29) and third in passing yards (4,446).
When Callahan joined the Raiders in 2018, he was instrumental in helping quarterback Derek Carr lead the AFC with a 68.9 completion percentage and set a career high in passing yards (4,049).
However, Callahan spent the most time with the Bengals, and they were a successful club. Callahan was a part of two AFC North titles, two AFC Championship berths, and a Super Bowl berth while working for head coach Zac Taylor.
The Bengals offense finished in the top 10 in the NFL over the previous three seasons (2021–2023) in a number of categories, including sixth in scoring (24.9), seventh in passing (250.8 yards per game), seventh in red-zone efficiency (61.5 percent), tenth in third-down percentage (41.0), and sixth in time of possession (31:00).
With Burrow fully recovered, the Bengals offense finished sixth in the NFL in 2022 in terms of points scored per contest (26.1), ninth in terms of total yards (360.5 per game), and fifth in terms of passing yards (265.0). That season, Burrow not only set team records for completion percentage (414) and touchdown passes (35), but he also ranked seventh in the NFL in passing yards (4475), earning him his first-ever Pro Bowl nomination.
The Bengals also had two 1,000-yard receivers in that season: Tee Higgins (1029) and Ja’Marr Chase (1046).
The Bengals offensive finished in the top 10 in the league in 2021 in both passing (seventh, 259.0) and scoring (eighth, 27.1), which helped them qualify for Super Bowl LVI.
Joe Mixon, a running back with the Bengals, surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards.
Callahan, who played quarterback at UCLA, is the son of former Raiders coach Bill Callahan, who is now offensive line coach with the Browns. Callahan spent time at his alma mater, UCLA, as a graduate assistant in 2006 and 2007 before spending two years (2008-09) as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Junipero High School in San Mateo, Calif.
After parting ways with Vrabel, the Titans interviewed Callahan, Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce (who was later hired as permanent head coach with the Raiders), Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Panthers offensive coordinator Thomas Brown, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and former Stanford head coach David Shaw for the position. Brown and Callahan interviewed for the second time, in-person, on Monday, a day after Shaw’s in-person interview.
