Report: Titans Hire Bengals' Brian Callahan as Next Coach

The Tennessee Titans are hiring Brian Callahan as their next head coach to replace Mike Vrabel, according to multiple reports. Job One in the rebuilding effort could be the continuing education of quarterback Will Levis.

NASHVILLE — Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is set to become the Tennessee Titans' new coach, according to reports. 

Callahan, 39, was the offensive coordinator for the Bengals for the past five seasons and helped lead the team to Super Bowl LVI after the 2021 season. Quarterback Joe Burrow was his prize student.

In Tennessee, Callahan will be expected to nurture Will Levis into the Titans' quarterback of the future.

How much did the Titans covet Callahan? After his second, in-person interview on Monday, the Titans "did not let him leave the building," NFL.com's Tom Pelissero reported. "He was supposed to be on a flight tonight to Carolina (for a second interview)."

Titans have their man 

Callahan was among 10 candidates interviewed for the Titans' coaching position vacated after the team fired Mike Vrabel.

Reports surfaced five days after Callahan's Jan. 12 interview that the Titans wanted a second, in-person interview with the Bengals' offensive coordinator.

According to NFL Network, Titans executives were so impressed with Callahan that they didn't want him to leave without accepting the job. 

The #Titans plan to hire #Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan as their head coach, per sources.

Callahan had a second interview today and Tennessee isn’t letting him out of the building. pic.twitter.com/9IZ41d62rP

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 23, 2024

What is Callahan facing in Tennessee?

• It appears highly likely that Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry will leave the Titans. Replacing Henry's production will be a priority.
• The Titans have lost 18 of their past 24 games and have failed to score more than 28 points in any game for the past two seasons.
• For the past two seasons, Tennessee has been one of the NFL's lowest-scoring and least-productive teams.
• Rookie quarterback Will Levis showed promise in nine starts, but his 58.4 percent completion rate needs improvement. 

What has Callahan achieved?

• The Bengals offense ranked seventh in the NFL for points per game (26.1), eighth for total yards (360.5 per game), and fifth for passing yards (265.0). Additionally, the Bengals finished fourth in the NFL for offensive DVOA in 2022 with Callahan as the offensive coordinator. 
• Callahan has been serving as the offensive coordinator for the Bengals since joining the staff of head coach Zac Taylor in 2019.
• Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2021, and the Bengals reached the Super Bowl.
• Callahan worked with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning as an assistant in Denver. From 2012 to 2014, Manning had 131 touchdown passes and won an MVP award.

Who is Callahan replacing?

• Mike Vrabel led Tennessee to four consecutive winning seasons after becoming the coach in 2018. 

• The Titans reached the AFC Championship game in 2019 — the high point — and reached the playoffs two more seasons.

Quotes about Callahan

"He establishes the whole structure of the offense," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of Callahan. "He has helped develop every position we have. He's invaluable. There's really not enough things I can say about him."

Related Titans Stories

• WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT CALLAHAN: "Obviously, the work that he's done with Joe Burrow has certainly been noted. But it's not just that. The fact that he got Jake Browning this year to play as well as he did certainly played into it." CLICK HERE
• MEET THE NEW COACH: Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan is an NFL legacy, the son of a coach. But his career is one of his own making. CLICK HERE