Titans Coach Sounds Off on Training Camp Fight

Tennessee Titans coach Brian Callahan addressed the fights happening at training camp.

Head Coach Brian Callahan fields questions after the Tennessee Titans practice at Ascension Saint Thomas Sports Park in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, May 21, 2024. / Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Tennessee Titans put on pads for the first time in training camp on Tuesday and it resulted in a fight or two between the offense and defense, mainly between star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons and rookie offensive tackle JC Latham.

Coach Brian Callahan addressed the fighting after practice and what he wants to do about it moving forward.

"It was the first day of pads, guys are cranked up," Callahan said via AtoZ Sports. "They understand what it is. We reined it back in and we had no problems after that. I don't anticipate it being an issue. Fighting is not something we want to accept, it's not part of the rules of the game. I've explained that before and I'll explain it again. It's training camp, the first day of pads, [Jeffery Simmons] is trying to set a tone. Those things don't bother me so much as long as we know we've got to play within the rules and we've got to protect our teammates, and I think we've got it figured out after that.

"It is what it is, it's football. I don't mind guys setting the tone with the intensity ramped-up and we've just got to understand that we can play to the edge and we can still play within the rules. And fighting is a penalty, it's usually an ejection, it hurts our team, we can't have that."

Callahan believes that the Titans will be able to move past the fighting from Tuesday's practices. However, this is undoubtedly a setback for Tennessee, who appeared to have a strong start to training camp over the past week. The intensity has leveled up, but the two units have to come together and remind themselves that they are all Titans at the end of the day.

Perhaps some disciplinary action will take place, but for now, it seems like the Titans will try to move past this issue swiftly.

The Titans will have the chance to be more physical against another team in next Saturday's preseason opener at home against the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.

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