Is It Too Late For Brian Callahan To Correct These Two Glaring Issues

Head coaches are hired to serve as the stabilizing force who can flip the fortunes of an organization quickly and decisively. That was the expectation when the Tennessee Titans hired Brian Callahan in 2024, but it hasn’t gone as planned.

In the NFL, head coaches rarely deal with patience when inheriting a struggling franchise. Owners are tired of losing, veterans are restless and young players are asked to shoulder the burden of a brighter future.

Callahan arrived with the message of changing the culture and the direction for a franchise coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons. 20 games into his tenure, Callahan has just three wins to show for it.

The biggest culprits are penalties and poor situational football — issues that have defined his young regime.

Since 2024, no team has been more undisciplined than Tennessee. The Titans racked up 127 penalties last year, second-most in the NFL, and they’ve already piled on 23 through three games this season. That’s not just sloppy football, it’s self-sabotage.

What makes matters worse is the nature of those penalties. Of Tennessee’s 23 flags in 2025, more than half have been procedural. That’s not bad luck, that’s preparation, execution and accountability, all falling short.

The bigger problem might be Callahan’s decision-making. Last year, he looked like a first-time head coach learning the ropes. This year, it looks like incompetence.

Through three games, Tennessee has entered the final two minutes of the first half with leads twice, only to squander them through poor clock management and lack of awareness. For a team struggling to find its footing, those mistakes are devastating.

This all traces back to the man at the top. Callahan’s job is to steady the ship, but instead his decisions have left the Titans drifting in winnable games, a trend dating back to last season.

Now the Titans find themselves staring at 14 more games in a season that already feels like a lost cause. Coming in as an offensive-minded head coach who called the plays, Callahan has relinquished play-calling duties to quarterback coach Bo Hardegree.

The good news: penalties and game management are fixable. The bad news: time may already be running out for Callahan to prove he can fix them.